Particularly during spring break, Jacksonville Beach is a well-liked party destination where three guys were detained in relation to a drug distribution operation.
The Drug Enforcement Administration states that the guys are suspected of selling heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and pot.
“Anytime we hear of fentanyl being sold on the streets, we have to attack it, aggressively we have to get the person responsible for distributing this poison off the street,” SEA Special Agent in Charge Mike Dubet stated.
Jacksonville Beach is well-known for its packed beaches and popular gathering places where locals flock to have fun. Additionally, it’s a location in Northeast Florida where both locals and tourists can socialize at a variety of pubs and clubs.
“Bar districts and party areas attract not only alcohol consumers but drug consumers as well,” Dubet stated.
The three guys were taken into custody in a Publix parking lot after investigators made multiple controlled purchases of illegal drugs, according to Jacksonville Beach Police and the DEA.
Kevin Harris, 46, is said to be the main suspect in the case, according to the investigators.
An arrest warrant states that Harris admitted to an undercover agent that he frequently supplied ounce quantities of cocaine to ten customers in Jacksonville Beach during one of the controlled purchases of the drug. According to the report, he added that he typically sells one gram of cocaine to customers at nearby bars.
“During that same transaction with the undercover agent, Harris reportedly told the agent that he has a relative who travels to Atlanta every week and brings back larger quantities of heroin for sale,” Dubet stated.
It has been determined that employees of Mexican drug cartels operating in the United States use Atlanta, Georgia, as a hub for drug distribution. According to agents, the Atlanta hub provides illicit drugs to dealers in cities across the Southeastern United States.
Harris had not been labeled as a cartel member by the DEA.
“We know who’s producing and bringing fentanyl into our country. So, every bit of fentanyl or cocaine is tied back to someone outside of our country,” Dubet stated.
Harris was charged with further felonies when it was alleged that he supplied cocaine to undercover investigators within a thousand feet of a school.
As the investigation continues, further charges are anticipated, according to the detectives.
