Heroin organization dismantled in Deltona, 19 arrests made

DELTONA, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood presented 'Operation Heavyweight' on Tuesday afternoon. This year long investigation led to 22 arrest warrants and 19 arrests. They confiscated drugs, guns, and money as well.

The sheriff's office went on to say that although additional arrests are expected, they still were able to put the majority of the organization's members behind bars, including the ring leader of this large heroin organization, Henry Bermudez.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office says that 43-year-old Henry Guilfu "Gordo" Bermudez was arrested at his home on Champlain Drive in Deltona. Bermudez's supplier, 41-year-old Salvador Cancel Castillo was arrested at his home on Candlewyck Drive in Orlando.

Sheriff Chitwood said that "This guy is responsible for all or overwhelming majority of heroin sold in Deltona." Chitwood also said that "Today wasn't a good day to be a heroin dealer in Volusia County."

Four search warrants were reportedly issued because of the investigation. Out of those came the seizure of $150,000 in heroin (about a kilo and a half), some mixed with fentanyl, in addition to an undetermined amount of cash. The heroin was enough for an estimated 15,000 doses.

In the last year, more than 800 people overdosed on heroin in Volusia County. More than 100 of those people died.

Sheriff Chitwood says the Heroin came from Puerto Rico, into Orlando, and was then sold by the people pictured in the last two rows on this board.

Deltona City Commissioner Anita Bradford also attended Tuesday's news conference and delivered a message to dealers: "Get your drugs out of my town and go somewhere else." She also said that "I hope they know now there's a new sheriff in town. Deltona is not the place to play. Go somewhere else."