Feds, local agencies nab 16 in Orlando drug raids

ORLANDO, Fla. — Sixteen people were arrested after investigators raided two drug-trafficking operations in Orlando's Holden Heights neighborhood, the MBI said Tuesday morning during a news conference at Orlando Police Department headquarters.

The first operation, dubbed 81 Grand, was run out of homes on Grand Street and on 18th Street, investigators said.

The group, led by Eric Gilles, was trafficking as many as 10 kilograms of crack cocaine monthly from South Florida to Central Florida, authorities said

Investigators said Gilles sold the drugs to lower-level dealers to be sold on the street. Five people were arrested.

The second operation, called Operation White Lines, trafficked both heroin and cocaine, officials said. Eleven people were arrested, including Ashely White, who investigators said was running the operation.

In both cases, drugs, cash and guns were seized, investigators said. Officials believe that the two groups were starting to communicate with one another.

Drug agents believe the drug traffickers ruled the streets for more than a dozen years.

The Holden Heights area has seen a large number of shootings.

"They were related, and it is a significant impact to the community," said Jeffrey Walsh of the DEA. "And the question, 'Are we putting a dent in it?' Listen: if we weren't, there would be 10 more kilos a month still floating around out there."

The DEA, the ATF, the MBI, ICE's Homeland Security Investigations division, the Orange County Sheriff's Office and the Orlando Police Department worked on the investigations.

Holden Heights resident Jaz Flories said she had no idea her neighborhood was ground zero for two major drug-trafficking operations.

“We moved out of Parramore, which was a horrible area, to be out of the drug area,” she said. “To come and find out they’re selling drugs over here.”

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