Attorney General Pam Bondi & State Attorney R.J. Larizza take part in press conference in Daytona Beach to discuss 'Operation Tinkerbell'
Photos and video for Headline Surfer / This suspect was among 14 rounded up Thursday in a synthetic drug raid operating out of New Smyrna Beach.
DAYTONA BEACH -- Widely banned because of their dangerous and unpredictable effects, synthetic drugs such as K-2 and bath salts still find their way onto the shelves at gas stations, convenience stores and smoke shops around the country. As it turns out, large quantities of the substances were coming from an illegal distribution ring based in New Smyrna Beach.
That was until Thursday when the massive ring based was smashed by law enforcers headed by Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson.
Narcotics agents dismantled the organization in a series of raids that were the culmination of a seven-month investigation. With Thursday’s 14 arrests, Johnson said the operation should send a clear message to others who might try to get into the same business.
“Let’s hope that the people out there seeing this will realize we’re coming after you,” said Johnson, unveiling the results of the operation during a news conference Thursday afternoon in Daytona Beach, flanked by State Attorney R.J. Larizza and Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. “If you want to continue to sell these elicit drugs, we are going to come after you.”
“Let’s hope that the people out there seeing this will realize we’re coming after you,” said Sheriff Ben Johnson, unveiling the results of the operation during a news conference Thursday afternoon in Daytona Beach, flanked by State Attorney R.J. Larizza and Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. “If you want to continue to sell these elicit drugs, we are going to come after you.”
Synthetic drugs are substances laced with chemicals designed to mimic the effects of drugs such as cocaine, heroine and hallucinogens.
The formulas to make them are frequently changed in an effort to skirt the law, causing health risks to people who take them in part because users can never be sure exactly what they’re ingesting, tthe sheriff said, adding, "Consumption of synthetic drugs has been known to cause hallucinations, seizures, tremors, nausea, panic attacks and even psychotic episodes.
Underscoring the importance that the state places on combating the sale and use of synthetic drugs, Bondi had nothing but praise for the the operation, calling it one of the biggests Floeida busts, while rebuking the dealers rounded up.
“Shame on the businesses who are selling this junk to our kids,” Bondi said. When a reporter asked why the criminal organization chose Volusia County to set up shop, the Attorney General quickly shot back: “They made a mistake.”
“Shame on the businesses who are selling this junk to our kids,” Florida Attorney General Bondi said. When a reporter asked why the criminal organization chose Volusia County to set up shop, the Attorney General quickly shot back: “They made a mistake.”
The investigation, named "Operation Tinker Bell," was launched in November by the multi-agency Volusia Bureau of Investigation, Volusia County Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said, adding the State Attorney’s Office also assisted in the operation. Through a variety of undercover investigative tactics, agents infiltrated the organization and learned that it was importing synthetic drugs from China and Canada and then distributing them around the Unites States, Davidson said.
"In some cases, they bought the finished drugs through wholesalers and then re-sold the products at a mark-up," rhe sheriff's spokesmsn explained. "In other cases, they bought the chemical components and actually manufactured the synthetic drugs locally before shipping them off to buyers. The group distributed multiple kilos of finished product on a weekly basis. With the synthetic drugs packaged for retail sales, the organization generated profits of several hundred thousand dollars in just the past few months."
Several businesses in the area have been linked to the operation, including LAD Enterprises in New Smyrna Beach. The company advertises on the Internet as a product marketing, development and distribution company. It was one of several business raided Thursday by VBI agents armed with court-issued search warrants.
Others included a Texaco station in Ormond Beach and a bath salt distribution center operating out of two units in an industrial park in Edgewater.
Thursday’s arrests included 55-year-old Loraine Kennelly, co-owner of LAD Enterprises and the person who investigators consider to be the organization’s ringleader. Several of her employees also were arrested on Thursday along with her husband and sister-in-law.
Prior to Thursday’s raids, agents had already seized approximately 6,700 grams of synthetic drugs during the investigation -- including a substance called Star Dust, which was the inspiration for the name, Operation Tinker Bell.
By the end of the day, agents had seized another 50 pounds of drugs and $80,000 in cash from the organization.
Thursday’s raids came four months after the Sheriff’s Office organized inspections of more than 170 businesses around the county to ensure that they weren’t selling any synthetic drugs banned by the state.
At the news conference, State Attorney Larizza said he was troubled by the availability of synthetic drugs, saying parents have no idea that when they send their child to the store, they could leave with something so potent that it could have deadly consequences.
Fortunately, he said, Operation Tinker Bell closed down a major pipeline.
“With the caliber of folks we’ve got, with the technology we’ve got, Internet and otherwise, we’re able to do something about it,” Larizza said, “and quite frankly, I’m proud to be a part of it.”
“With the caliber of folks we’ve got, with the technology we’ve got, Internet and otherwise, we’re able to do something about it,” Larizza said, “and quite frankly, I’m proud to be a part of it.”
Those arrested in the raids include:
# Suspect, 22, from Daytona Beach, was charged with three counts of sale of a Schedule I substance, and was being held on a $75,000 bond.
#Libo C. Anderson, 44 (DOB: 9/10/68) of Oviedo, was charged with charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering and was being held on a $10,000 bond.
# Holden A. Bownds, 22, of Denton, Texas, was charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering. He was being held on $10,000 bond.
# Roger Allen Brummitt, 30, of Cape Coral, was charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, and was being held on $10,000 bond.
# Jennifer Lynn Hutchens, 29, of 181 Howard Ave., New Smyrna Beach, was charged with racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to deliver pentedrone, two counts of sale of a controlled substance, unlawful use of a two-way communications device to facilitate the commission of a crime, possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver drug paraphernalia. She was being held on $26,000 bond.
# Rangarao Juvvadi, 39, of 972 Sandal Wood Drive, Port Orange, was charged with sale of a Schedule I substance, and was being held on $25,000 bond.
# Christine Kennelly, 43, of 2007 Orange Tree Drive, Edgewater, was charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering, solicitation to deliver pentedrone and unlawful use of a two-way communications device to facilitate the commission of a crime. She was being held on $12,000 bond.
# Loraine Fox Kennelly, 55, of 542 Cedaredge Drive, New Smyrna Beach, the alleged ringleader, was charged with racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, possession of a structure used for the manufacture or sale of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, sale of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver drug paraphernalia and unlawful use of a two-way communications device to facilitate the commission of a crime. She was being held on $26,500 bond.
# Michael James Kennelly, 49, of 881 Windover Court, New Smyrna Beach, was charged with racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, possession of a structure used for the manufacture or sale of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, sale of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver drug paraphernalia, possession of a conveyance used for the sale of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a two-way communications device to facilitate the commission of a crime. He was being held on $27,500 bond.
# Sean Nicholas Main, 32, 181 Howard Ave., New Smyrna Beach, was charged with racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to deliver pentedrone and unlawful use of a two-way communications device to facilitate the commission of a crime. He was being held on $22,000 bond.
# Andrew James Mundell, 23, of 542 Cedaredge Drive, New Smyrna Beach, was charged with racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, possession of methylenedioxymethcahtinone, delivery of methylenedioxymethcahtinone, conspiracy to purchase pentedrone, conspiracy to deliver pentedrone and unlawful use of a two-way communications device to facilitate the commission of a crime. He was being held on $25,000 bond.
# Daniel J. Orr, 43, of 717 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach, was charged with racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, possession of a structure used for the manufacture or sale of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, sale of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver drug paraphernalia and unlawful use of a two-way communications device to facilitate the commission of a crime. He was being held on $26,500 bond.
# Saman Kantha Elgodage Ranawaka, 48, of 313 Country Club Oval, Apt. 1, Daytona Beach, charged with two counts of sale of a Schedule I substance, was being held on $50,000 bond.
# Christopher Richard Russell, 40, address unknown, was charged with conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance, solicitation to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a two-way communications device to facilitate the commission of a crime. He was being held on $4,000 bond.