'Deadliest drug threat that our country has ever faced:' Tampa's top federal prosecutor talks fentanyl crisis
TAMPA - As the fentanyl crisis in America endangers the lives of millions of Americans, a recent federal trial in Tampa is illuminating the extensive ways law enforcement is combating the drug influx.
"It is the deadliest drug threat that our country has ever faced," said Tampa’s top federal prosecutor, Roger Handberg, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida.
That threat keeps his team busy. Handberg said since he took office, they've seized enough of the drugs in the Middle District of Florida to kill all 13 million people who live here five times over.
He said they’re committed to shutting down drug trafficking networks, like the one they just finished prosecuting.
Last week, Enock Edouard was convicted in federal court. He is described as a middle level trafficker between the cartel and lower level local dealers.
Handberg says the investigation started with an overdose death in Sun City Center.
"What I admire about law enforcement officers is, they didn't leave the case just with that. They did what you would want them to do, which is they follow the evidence and they follow the evidence to the person who they thought was the drug dealer. And from there, they thought they could figure out Mr. Edouard was one of the suppliers for that individual," said Handberg.
Investigators followed that evidence to Edouard, which led to wire taps, surveillance, search warrants and even a chase.
Investigators soon learned Edouard and his associates shipped the drugs in candles and paint cans in the mail using FedEx. When that stopped being efficient, Handberg said they wrapped the drugs like a large burrito and put them in checked luggage on commercial planes.
READ: Operation Overdrive Tampa targeted areas hardest hit by drug trafficking and violent crime
"None of the ways that we've seen in this case are particularly unique. You know, we see them in a number of different cases," said Handberg.
While FedEx is a private company, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service set up a task force in 2020 to combat the surge of drugs in the mail. Its latest data shows it's seized 124 pounds of illegal narcotics and made more than 2,000 arrests for drug trafficking using U.S. Mail.
While executing search warrants in this case, investigators found 15 firearms and two hand grenades.
"Just imagine the danger that those officers were in doing that search warrant. And again, it's just another example of how they put themselves in harm's way, to protect the rest of us," said Handberg.
Edouard has not yet been sentenced, but he faces a minimum of 10 years in prison.
We asked FedEx how it's screening for drugs, how it's protecting its workers and how many drugs they’ve found or reported from their facilities. A spokesperson for FedEx told FOX 13: "All FedEx operations worldwide are managed in strict compliance with applicable law and regulations. We cannot comment further as we do not wish to interfere with ongoing law enforcement investigations or efforts."
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