WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WFLA)— Sheriff Grady Judd spoke about a fentanyl drug trafficking investigation that involved two Mexican cartels, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said.
Polk County detectives worked alongside investigators from:
- The Florida Department of Law Enforcement
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Tampa and Phoenix offices
- U.S. Border Patrol
- Auburndale Police Department
- Office of the State Attorney 10th Judicial Circuit
- United States Postal Inspection Service from the Tampa and Phoenix offices.
During this investigation, multiple suspects were arrested, and the largest seizure of fentanyl in Polk County Sheriff’s Office history was recovered, PCSO said.
Two people were arrested in connection with the Sinaloa cartel after a fentanyl pill investigation from July 2024 to January 2025 uncovered over 35 pounds of fentanyl that was brought from Mexico to Phoenix before making its way to Polk County.
The Jalsico cartel would use car batteries to transport powdered fentanyl to Polk County.
According to Sheriff Judd, 64 pounds of fentanyl were seized during this operation. This amount of fentanyl could kill 14.5 million people.
The news conference will be live in the video player above.
