The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office reported one of the “largest fentanyl busts ever” in the area. During the three‑month operation, dubbed “My Brother’s Keeper,” deputies arrested 26 people and seized over 1,300 grams of fentanyl.
Additional items recovered included one kilogram of cocaine, 53 grams of marijuana, 51 pills, $73,000 in cash, nine firearms, five vehicles, and a house believed to have been bought with drug money and used in drug operations.
At 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference to announce the arrest of 26 individuals in what officials are calling the largest fentanyl bust in the region.
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office stated that they arrested 26 people following one of the “largest fentanyl busts ever” in the area. Sheriff Marcos R. Lopez hosted a press conference on Thursday, March 12, to detail the investigation.
He described the three‑month‑long operation as “My Brother’s Keeper” and noted that deputies recovered over 1,300 grams of fentanyl along with other illegal paraphernalia.
Although the operation initially began with a few undercover agents purchasing small quantities of drugs from two brothers, it evolved into a large-scale investigation.
Deputies arrested 26 individuals on drug trafficking charges, and officials indicated that additional arrests might follow. All 26 arrests are linked to a drug trafficking network moving drugs and money across Osceola and Orange counties.
During the operation, Sheriff Lopez stated that deputies seized over 1,300 grams of fentanyl, one kilogram of cocaine, 53 grams of marijuana, $73,000 in cash, nine firearms, five vehicles, and a house believed to have been used for drug operations.
“They kept this business alive and thriving right under our noses,” Lopez said. “We have shut down this operation, shut down their customers and shut down one of the largest fentanyl operations I’ve seen during my tenure at this agency.”
Lopez warned that one kilogram of fentanyl—a lethal quantity—could potentially kill around 500,000 people, a volume that could effectively devastate the entire county. Officials reiterated that the investigation led to significant seizures of drugs, cash, weapons, vehicles, and property.
Lopez also addressed the issue of illegal immigration, stating that one of the arrested individuals was an undocumented immigrant. “This is an example of the people we don’t want in our country,” he said. “He comes here not to work, not to do anything nice, not to be a friend of anyone.
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He’s here to destroy our families. He’s one of the guys arrested for dealing this poison, and he’s already under a deportation order. Once he serves his time, he will be deported.”
He confirmed that no undercover agents were harmed during the investigation.
List of Arrested Individuals:
- Moises Acosta
- Jose Velez
- Johan Angulo
- Orlandito Cristobal
- Isaias Hostos
- Naysha Morales
- Felix Hernandez
- Jonathan Roman
- Jose Aponte
- Oscar Rivera
- Emmanuel Lugo
- Valerie Rivera
- Jose Pinto
- Luis Colon
- Jose Nazario
- Rafael Alayon
- Christopher Alayon
- Jose Marrero
- Orlando Burgos
- Omar Nieves
- Kevin Rodriguez
- Frank Velazquez
- Jorge Nieves
Lopez stated that the operation’s success was largely due to collaboration with other organizations. Officials mentioned that most of the arrested individuals face a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years, with every person receiving at least a seven‑year sentence.
