Deltona Drug Dealers arrested in Fentanyl Trafficking Operation.

Written by Kristen Schmutz

Belden Communications News

Two individuals suspected of drug trafficking were apprehended on Thursday, following a meticulous three-month investigation by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

The Deltona Narcotics Enforcement Team (DNET) of the Volusia County Sheriff's Office (VSO), in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), coordinated a series of controlled purchases from Michael Espejo, 53, and Luis Collazo, 57, residents of 725 Hartley Avenue in Deltona. Throughout the operation, the Sheriff’s Office successfully procured and seized 64 grams of fentanyl brokered by Espejo and completed by Collazo at the aforementioned address.

According to a release, on Thursday, members of DNET and DEA were joined by the West Volusia Narcotics Task Force and patrol deputies for a search warrant at the house, where another 8.9 grams of fentanyl, 15 grams of cocaine and 9 grams of Alprazolam were seized along with THC gummies and $1,250 cash.

Espejo and Collazo are each charged with three counts of trafficking in fentanyl. Espejo faces an additional three counts of sale and delivery of heroin/fentanyl within 1,000 feet of a park. Both defendants have a history of prior convictions related to narcotics sales and other offenses. Espejo's bail has been set at $850,000, while Collazo's stands at $700,000.

Sheriff Mike Chitwood emphasized that the Sheriff's Office recently collaborated with various agencies in a joint operation targeting heroin/fentanyl trafficking organizations in Central Florida. This effort has yielded more than 30 arrests and the seizure of over 2,300 grams of fentanyl, black tar heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and other illicit substances. Sheriff Chitwood reiterated the commitment of local, state, and federal partners to continue these investigations across Volusia County and Central Florida, aiming to curb drug-related crimes in the region.