Two Honduran nationals, identified as Hector Noe Melendez-Amador and Denis Omar Acosta-Melendez, were arrested in Charlotte County on charges related to the possession and distribution of fentanyl.
The arrests followed an investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), with assistance from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, law enforcement seized a substantial quantity of fentanyl during the operation.
Melendez-Amador faces charges of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Acosta-Melendez’s specific charges have not been detailed in the press release but are also related to the fentanyl seizure.
Read: Orlando Couple Charged In Firearms And Fentanyl Trafficking Bust
“Fentanyl continues to be the greatest drug threat facing our country, and Florida has not been immune to its devastating effects,” said Deanne L. Reuter, Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Field Division. “The women and men of the DEA Miami Field Division are working tirelessly alongside our local, state, and federal partners to bring those who distribute this poison in our Florida communities to justice and keep our communities safe and healthy.”
The arrests highlight the ongoing struggle against fentanyl trafficking in the region. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid significantly more potent than heroin, has been linked to a surge in overdose deaths across the United States.
Read: Florida Felon Popped During I-75 Traffic Stop With 1 Gram Of Deadly Fentanyl
Both Melendez-Amador and Acosta-Melendez are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
This is a developing story. Further details will be reported as they become available.
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