A Miami, Florida drug operation resulted in 12 arrests on September 4, a press release unsealed by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida indicates. Those arrested are Jose Alberto Ontivero Monte de Oca, 54, of Hialeah, who goes by the nickname Papito; Pedro Farach, 45, of Hialeah; Jaime Maldonado Ramos, 45, of Homestead, also known as Oggie; Jose Alfredo Villarreal, or Alfredito, 40, of Naples; Roberto Perez, 46, of Pembroke Pines, who also goes by Rodo; Juan Enrique Martinez, 50, of Miami; Alberto Arregoitia Lorenzo, 61, of Miami; Miguel Angel Desdin, 59, of Hialeah, also known as Miguelon; Vladimir Mir-Medina, 50, of Miami; Miguel Cruz, 49, of Hialeah; Manuel Bautista Alvarez, 53, of Miami; Hernan Rodriguez Alfaro, 40, of Cutler Bay, who goes by the nickname Iran; and Rafael Luis Ramos Lopez, or Lou, 46, of Miami.
The defendants were booked into police custody on charges of distribution and/or possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine. Ramos faces additional firearms charges. It was not immediately clear whether the defendants qualified for bail. The press did not specify a defense attorney for any of the defendants.
According to the indictment, the arrests were part of an operation carried out by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF is a multi-agency task force that combines the authoritative power of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. "The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation's illegal drug supply," the indictment says.