Executive Summary
- Authorities arrested approximately 20 suspects in the second wave of Operation El Primo.
- The operation targeted a cocaine trafficking ring in Flagami, Little Havana, and Coral Way.
- Police stated the sweep disrupted an active murder-for-hire plot.
- Seizures included 22 kilograms of cocaine, over $120,000 in cash, and firearms.
In a coordinated early-morning sweep on Tuesday, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and officers from the Miami Police Department (MPD) arrested approximately 20 individuals connected to a sophisticated cocaine trafficking ring and an alleged murder-for-hire plot.
The raid, identified as the second wave of "Operation El Primo," commenced around 5 a.m., targeting suspects across the city and Miami-Dade County. According to the Miami Police Department, the operation focused on dismantling a criminal organization operating primarily in the Flagami neighborhood, as well as the Little Havana and Coral Way areas.
Authorities reported that the suspects taken into custody were named in recent federal indictments. Investigators noted that the operation successfully disrupted a murder-for-hire conspiracy before it could be executed. Police reports confirm that Tuesday’s operation resulted in significant seizures, including more than 22 kilograms of cocaine, over $120,000 in cash, and various firearms and ammunition.
"This takedown sends a clear and unmistakable message: drug trafficking and the violence that follows it will not be tolerated in Miami," Chief of Police Manuel A. Morales said in a statement, attributing the success to collaboration between the MPD’s Special Investigations Section, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Operational Impact and Public Safety
The execution of Operation El Primo highlights the increasing reliance on inter-agency task forces to combat entrenched narcotics networks that operate across jurisdictional lines. By dismantling the financial and logistical infrastructure of the organization—evidenced by the seizure of significant cash and narcotics—law enforcement aims to create a long-term disruption in the local supply chain rather than merely displacing the criminal activity. Furthermore, the intervention in an alleged murder-for-hire plot underscores the violent collateral risks associated with high-level drug trafficking. It is important to note that all individuals arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
