26 arrested in Orange County for drugs, illegal guns

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday that 26 arrests have been made as part of a six-month-long investigation.

The arrests were in Winter Garden and parts of Orange County, investigators from the West Orange Narcotics Task Force announced during a news conference Monday.

Seventy-one arrest warrants were obtained and nine search warrants were served.

Investigators said 26 of the 31 suspects are in jail.

"There are still numerous individuals who are still subjects of these outstanding warrants. We are asking the citizens of east Orange County, if they are familiar with any of these individuals, to come forward," said Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings.

Channel 9's Mike Manzoni learned undercover deputies bought marijuana, cocaine, crack, heroin and pills as part of the operation.

"It's about fast money. They're out trying to get rich quick," Demings said. "This fuels commercial burglaries, auto burglaries and other things that may happen in which our innocent citizens are preyed upon."

Eight firearms were also confiscated; one was stolen, deputies said.

Narcotics Capt. Carlos Espinosa said there is a lot of talk about heroin, but he said investigators come across a lot of other illegal drugs.

"We pay so much attention to the heroin problem that we have right now that people are forgetting that we also have a marijuana problem and a cocaine problem and a crack addiction that still goes on," Espinosa said.

Cox Media Group