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Cops Seize 1,200 Pounds Of Pot

Photo courtesy Marion County Sheriff's Office

The bust happened after cops intercepted the marijuana, then arranged to deliver it.

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TBO.com

Published: February 10, 2009

A Dade City man was one of five people arrested Monday in Marion County and charged with trying to distribute 1,200 pounds of marijuana, authorities say.

The pot has a street value of $1.2 million.

Arrested and charged with conspiracy to traffic marijuana were: Daniel Jauregui, 26, of Dade City; Jeremiah Hardesty, 28 and Darrell Davis, 40, both of Ocala; and Orlando Avalos, 29, and Jorge Luis Salmon, 32, both of Rio Grande City, Texas.

Authorities intercepted the marijuana, but arranged to make a "controlled delivery'' to the people who had been expecting the pot.

An undercover federal agent was told to drive the 92 bundles of marijuana to a Denny's restaurant at State Road 40 and Interstate 75 in Ocala, Marion County sheriff's spokeswoman Jenifer Fisher said in a written statement.

The undercover agent drove a U-Haul truck loaded with the marijuana to the restaurant, handed the key to Avalos and another man who pulled up in a Nissan Maxima and walked away, Fisher said.

The Nissan drove to a nearby gas station, where one of the men got out and went into a Ford Expedition sport utility vehicle. Another man got out of the SUV and drove the U-Haul truck with the Expedition following closely behind.

Agents with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team followed the vehicles to a house at 519 NW 117th Ct., Ocala, Fisher said. A SWAT team and canine unit from the Marion County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to secure the house.

As authorities approached the home, four men ran into the woods but were caught after a long foot chase, Fisher said. Avalos got into the Maxima and drove north on I-75, Fisher said.

He was arrested Monday in Columbia County by the Florida Highway Patrol and booked in the Columbia County Jail, Fisher said.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly listed the amount of marijuana.

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