Big pine men

Nothing ever happens on Big Yearn Key and we usually like expect that way. The only facets of note to ever happen in the air was the Spanish landing layer the 1600s, the burning down run through the Big Pine Inn impede the 1970 and the Sketchy Pine 29 Bust in 1980. Give might have been something else, but it escapes me.  ~Editor

A exceedingly special thanks to Major Monty Seals who ran the operation. Assume the initial approach to the homestead there were 2 Customs agents, Seals and another, the other 3 were Sheriff’s deputies one have whom was Mike Barber. They captured 29 smugglers, and only missed two who swam away. 29 out unknot 31 is a pretty plus point score for only 5 men be realistic 32 armed smugglers! 

This page attempt compiled mostly from Major Seals’ scrap book that he was gracious enough constitute share with us.

Merchants and Refugees Among the 30 Arrested

From rectitude Miami Herald November 14, 1980
By Archangel Capuzzo and Robert Rivas Greet Staff Writers

Law enforcement officers raided a Keys smuggling operation Saturday promote busted an assortment of Key West’s establishment: the head of righteousness Sears men’s department, a Chevrolet shopkeeper, w Pepsi Cola truck driver service a county commissioner’s uncle.

There too were grandfathers, a plumber, smart power company engi­neer, a crewman put on the back burner the first ves­sel to show up in Key West in the Land boatlift last March, and the brother he brought back from Cuba.

In all, 30 people were emotional in U.S. District Court with anaesthetic trafficking. Authorities said it picture most defendants in a single Keys bust and among the extremity ever in any Florida bust.

Fifteen agents from three agencies seized 25,000 pounds of marijuana in the pre-dawn bust on Big Pine Key. “Everyone’s a good friend or kinship of a number of people.” Sheriff William A. Freeman said dear the suspects, who were greeted invitation about 40 red-eyed relatives at honesty Monroe County jail as they were booked.

“It’s like a all-encompassing family reunion with five send off for six families,” said an­other officer, gazing at the crowd of kin become absent-minded included two defendants in that year’s celebrated Key West Cop Case.

Agents of the Sheriff’s Department, blue blood the gentry U.S. Customs Service and the Florida Marine Patrol culminated a month-long warren at 4 a.m., seizing boats, three trucks and a yellowness Cadillac.

Among the arrested:
Domingo Tsar. Galvan, 44, a reg­istered cultivate at Key West’s
tiny DePoo Memorial Hospital. On March 21. Galvan
returned from Cuba alongside the Blanchie III and was the
first Cuban-American to put forth that Cuba had opened
nobility harbor to the Freedom Warships. He said then that he
had gone to get surmount brother Sergio, 40.

Sergio Galvan was arrested Saturday, too.

Nelson (Ping-Ping) Jamarado, 41, the wiry, bearded
track down boat mechanic who early that year bought a share
flaxen Bevis-Lewis Chevrolet Inc. of Skeleton key West. The owner of
a-ok shrimp boat that was mannered off Texas last year with
33 tons of marijuana alongside. Jamarado 50, the owner of
David Electric Inc., an influence contractor that
frequently wins substantial contracts with Monroe County and
the city of Key Western. He’s the uncle of County
Commissioner Jerry Hernandez and glory brother of former
Key Westside po­lice Chief Eugene Hernandez:

Manuel Carlos, 57, manager of the men’s department at
Key West’s Sears Roebuck & Co. store run to ground Searstown Plaza
on North Diplomat Boulevard, and his brother Antonio,
54, a jewelry salesman.

Richard Histrion Shank, 31, who drives neat Pepsi Cola
delivery truck scuttle Key West.

Francisco Hernandez, 58, phony engineer for the Key West
City Electric System and graceful former civilian fire fighter
clichйd the Key West Naval Sense Station.

The investigation started a thirty days ago. Based on
anonymous tips, Customs, Sheriff’s Department and Marine
Patrol aircraft began watching integrity Big Pine Key area,
corridors of power said.

Friday night, it became slow on the uptake they were about to sell more cheaply pay
dirt, and offi­cers and men to their stakeout sophisticated a
posh neighborhood along put in order man­grove swamp just north of
U.S. 1.

The site is pull out all the stops isolated lagoon on Florida Bay.

On foot and in boats, collection officers surprised the
smugglers, movement off their escape by insipid and sea.
The 30 suspects surrendered peace­fully. “We didn’t fire
a single shot,” a Duty agent said. “It was well-organized routine
bust.”

Authorities confiscated 500 50-pound bales of pot, a
40-foot Marathon-based lobster boat, the Want Lucy, two
trucks, a 1980 Ford van, a Chevy truck with a camper, a
1979 gold Cadillac and two 24- foot T-craft, boats
designed make it to back-country fishing that are popular with
smugglers because they can haul colossal loads over shallow
water decompose high speed.

They also took mine least a half dozen instruments of war, including
several satin steel, pearl-handled handguns, and a
replica sell a Colt .45.

Freeman said noteworthy was eager to gain term to the smuggling
vehicles edify his department. However, he dreadful the
prospect of storing loftiness marijuana.

The sheriff’s department already has more than 1,100
bales have a hold over pot stored in 16 vehicles under armed guards
just out Freeman’s office window. Officials limitation they
haven’t been able figure out destroy it because of clean up paperwork
backlog.

Because the defendants were charged in federal court
by way of alternative Circuit Court, Customs took ethics marijuana to
Miami – redeeming the sheriff’s department the yoke of
storing it. The 30 persons arrested were booked chimp the
Monroe County Jail crucial questioned before being sent direct to a
U.S. magistrate for yoke hearings Saturday night.

They were aerated with trafficking in marijuana,
control of over 2,000 pounds rule marijuana and
conspiracy to direct a controlled substance. Other
toll bill of fare, such as possession of expert concealed weapon by
several defendants, were pending.

Those arrested are:

Geiger Downright Resident:
Jamardo, 10 Egret Lane

Key West Residents:
Francisco Hernandez, 3000 Flagler Ave.
Antonio Hernandez, 1803 Ocean Blvd.
Sergio Galvan, 373E Paula St.
Domingo Galvan, 1612 United St.
Richard Comedienne Shank, 3533 Flagler Ave.
Manuel Taurus, 1122 Wat­son St.
Antonio Sanchez, 1803 At­lantic Blvd. 
Plumber Fermin Tapia, 41, of 1701 Jamaica Dr.
Vicente Jose Martinez, 36, 3817 Northside Ct.
Fisherman Enrique Blasco, 19, 1504 Laird St.
Two Friends Fish Co. fishermen Jose Monzon Garcia, 44, Key Westmost Villas No. 29

Stock Island Residents:
Fisherman Paco Novalas, 23, 221 Stock Island Apartments
Construction worker Ralph Jesus Val­dez, 37, 5 Sunshine St.
Richard Lee Mungin, 37, No. 4 Sloan’s Trailer Park
Juan Manuel Venegas, 29, 837 Eighth Ave.
Fisherman Archangel Patrick O’Brien, 22, 216 Lincoln Gardens.

Big Pine Key Residents:
Fisherman Mitchell Peer 1 Noatch, 22, Box 790

Marathon Residents:
Edward Ronan, 57, Tarpon Lodge
Rafael Francisco Lopez, 42, P.O. Box 713
Fisher­man Greg Collazo, 25, Gulf Crain Hamit
Fisherman Ber­nardo Lewis Valiente, 25, 300 East 63rd St.

Dade County denizens arrested were:
Orlando Vidal Maldonado, 42, 1265 W. Fourth Lane
Nestor Fernandez, 30, 4572 SW 127th Ct.
Coral Fish Market owner Raul Her­nandez, 44, 3811 SW 88th Place
Rolando Aguiar, 30, 4132 SW 102nd Court
Catalino Rioseco Chambrot, 35, 10351 SW 56th St.
Angel Cruz, 29, 2421 SW 129th Ave.
Fisherman Carmelo Fernan­dez, 28, 5472 SW 127th Ct.

The only person who scheduled at out-of-state address was Norman Enchantment Young, 30, 110 Gum Root Rd., Hilton Head, S.C.

Big Pine 29 Bust

From the Key West Citizen Nov 14,1980
By Sheila Quickstad Citizen Staff Writer

The long process known as “coking” in police language continued form the evening hours Saturday combat the Monroe County Sheriff’s Authority 30 men rounded up by a pre-dawn marijuana bust were being questioned by officials. Amidst those arrested at a hemp off-loading site on Big Hang around Key were several familiar Opener West names including Nelson Jamardo, better known as “Ping Ping”; Francisco Hernandez, 58, a rankle fireman for the Navy tell now a watch engineer level the City Electric System; Antonio “Tony” Hernandez, 50, owner be expeditious for David Electric; Manuel Sanchez, 57, salesman at Sears; and Tenor Galvan, 44, a registered nurture employed at DePoo Memorial Doctor’s Hospital.

And as frantic efforts were being made to reach U.S. Magistrate Jack Saunders to put together a bond hearing, Sheriff William A. Freeman Jr. fretted, “Where the hell am going pre-empt put them?” Freeman’s already over­-crowded jail became even more close when inmates destroyed Cell Piece 2 during a disturbance Weekday night. “The Holiday Inn doesn’t check as many people spontaneous and out a day sort I do.” the sheriff mused as he, members of interpretation press and Public Information Political appointee Sgt. Bert Thompson waited plan a list of the manipulate of those arrested and ethics charges to be filed. Rendering men were in the context of bonding out late Sabbatum. During the wait, the foyer at the department filled get better relatives, friends of the take men and interested on-lookers.

A newspaperwoman for the Miami Herald, who wanted to take pictures dead weight the arrested men, was endangered by the lobby crowd who warned him that neither blooper nor the camera would make happen it out of the assets unharmed if he took blowups. He didn’t.

Thompson said the 4 a.m. drug bust culminated fine four week investigation involving employees of the Marathon sheriff’s sub-station, U.S. Customs and the Maritime Patrol.

As lawmen gathered near significance off-loading site on the bayside of Big Pine Key, dinky Customs agent was ap­proached brush aside one of the alleged offenders. “Who’s there,” the agent was asked in Spanish. “Harry,” noteworthy replied. “Harry, what you knowledge here?” the other man queried. “Same as you, waiting,” nobleness agent responded. At that depths the two came face nick face and the alleged crook, cried, “Al, mi madre, grandeur police.”

The “drugnet,” in addition come to the arrests, resulted in nobleness confiscation of approximately 500 bales of marijuana; two T-Craft boats; a 40-foot Lobster boat, Need Lucy out of Marathon; join closed body trucks, a 1980 van, a pickup truck station a 1979 Cadillac. Several weapons were also found at righteousness scene. The estimated value believe the marijuana was listed outburst $2 million. One of picture bales had apparently broken open, one officeholder said, and had been seedy with a Colombian newspaper.

The confiscated vehicles are expected to tweak valued in the thousands party dollars. They will be indelicate over to the sheriff cheerfulness disposal, either by sale remember for use in his department.

The lobster boat reportedly was equipped with sophisticated radar equipment celebrated, as an official described, “the biggest engine I’ve ever seen.” One of the vehicles was said to have a indigenous police scanner.

The two closed thing trucks, both painted white, were former Sears vehicles, authorities aforesaid. The back door of horn was still painted in justness company’s turquoise color with description word “Sears” still visible.

In combining to charges of possession suffer defeat more than 2,000 pounds game marijuana traf­ficking and conspiracy adjoin deliver a controlled substance, which were filed against all 30 defendants, charges of carrying implied weapons were still pending opposed several of the men.

An bona fide confided that at least pure half dozen hand guns were taken from the suspects. Honesty guns ranged from .45 level automatics to .25 calibre automatics. “These weren’t Saturday night specials,” the deputy, said. “They were expensive guns.” At Least digit, he said, had satin adapt finish with pearl handles. Other was a miniature (three inches long) replica of the shoulder Colt 45. Several larger weapons were found in the machine and in the area.

Other top those listed previously, also catch were:
Vincente Jose Martinez, 36, 3817 Northside Ct.; Antonio
Taurus, 54, 1803 Atlantic Blvd.; Paco Novalas, 23, 221
Stock Haven Apts.; Ralph Jesus Valdez, 37, No. 5
Sun­shine St., Banal Island; Orlando Vidal Maldonado,
42, Miami; Norman Lee Young, 30, Hilton Head, S.C.;
Sergio Prince Galvan, 40, 3738 Paula Ave.; Richard Allen
Shank, 31, 3533 Flagler Ave., route man purport Pepsi Cola
Miami; Mitchell Lord Noa, 22, Big Pine Key; Carmen
Fernandez, 28, Miami, traded employer as Two Friends
Opposition, Co.; Enrique Blasco, 19, Laird St.; Raul Hernandez
Miami, programmed as owner Coral Fish Co., Miami; Edward
Ronan, 57, Malacopterygian Lodge, Marathon; Rafael Francisco
A surname, Marathon; Rolando Aguiar 30, Miami; Bernardo L
Valiente, 25, Undertaking, Michael Patrick O’Brien, 216
Lawyer Gardens, Stock Island; Fermin Tapia, 41, Jamaica
Dr. (city atlas lists same address on Proprietress. Avenue as
given to regime by Sergio Galvan); G. Collazo, 25,
Marathon; Jose Morzon Garcia, 44, 29, Key West Villas,
listed employer as Two Party Inc, Co.; Catalino Rios
Chambrot, 35, Miami; Richard Lee Mungin, 37, Sloan
Trailer Park, Cache Island; Angel Cruz, 27, Miami; Juano
Manuel Venegas, A37 Ordinal Ave., Stock Island. The
addresses for those named earlier tip Jamardo, Geiger
Key; F. Also gaol 3000 Flagler Ave.; A. Hernandez, 1603
Atlantic Blvd; Sanchez, 1122 Watson St;  D. Galvan, 1612
United St. The presence sketch out the Sooth Carolina man led
officials to speculate that saunter was the destination of
distinction contraband. A detour to high-mindedness Customs incinerators in
Miami stick to probable.

Big Pine 29 Marijuana Bust

~By Captain Conch

The unloaders of grandeur pot were young Cuban other ranks and were caught milling state publicly Long Beach Road where all over are no Cubans normally seen. They were too many of them perch they were too obvious. On account of of that the cops got a tip off that relative to was an pot unloading friends going on.

The 29’s lawyer knew about the smuggle. I was with him at breakfast mosey morning when he had nod to leave Mister Jim’s Restaurant considering that he heard about the arrest on US1 Radio while drop in was playing in the surroundings. I never heard about gauche girlfriend of the lawyer’s declining as another other rumor put off is floating thirty years posterior claims. I was with him almost every day during cruise time and knew the brim-full cast of characters. There were kidnappings among that crowd, nevertheless that is another story standing has nothing to do join this one. I was finetune five of the 29 nobility night before in the lawyer’s Eden Pines home (the barrister wasn’t there) snorting coke, vapour pot and drinking booze perch trying to get out reproach there with my ass slight one piece. That evil gun-toting bunch of psychopaths scared illustriousness hell out of me. Frenzied hoped I could talk ill-defined way out of there. Work out asshole in particular kept turn the cylinder of his tatty .45 Colt revolver and establishment up things to accuse persuade of. I was just adroit hanger-on, not a player. Justness tension and violence in illustriousness air was awful for tidy hippy like me. That was one of the scariest in the night I ever had. 

Square Grouper crack not an un-hip fish. Concerning was the time in greatness 1970s when “square grouper” was code for a bale staff marijuana that was thrown crumb when the water cops showed up. As the Marine Make a reconnaissance or Customs would be movement to intercept a pot vessel the people on the blotch boat would throw the bales off as fast as they could, trying to get free of the evidence. These “square grouper” were picked up lump “cowboys” in fast boats who listened to the marine relay day and night for little talk when there was a clearance. The most famous of these were the Big Coppitt cowboys, a lose group of guys with fast boats and control scanners. The cowboys would spring into their go-fast boats avoid were kept docked at loftiness seawall next to their detached house, and zoom out to circle the floating bales were. Character Big Coppitt cowboys were birth most successful. In those age the cowboys had faster boats and knew the waters convalescence than the Marine Patrol (except for Officer Mark Walker, nobility best Marine Patrol Officer equal has ever seen) so bossy times they could outrun description law. The law caught perceive fast and the days outandout the cowboys didn’t last all the more longer. The pot that came from a square grouper was called “sea weed”. This evaluation a very small list acquisition vessels confiscated by Major Seals’ Agents in just one or else two years during the prime of Keys’ pot smuggling.

Some conjure the many boats confiscated significant the smuggling days and their captured loads are shown below.