76-Year-Old Among 17 Arrested in Operation Dragon Slayer

MIAMI — Sixteen people, including a 76-year-old man, have been arrested on drug offenses and one other on a driving offense during a two-day roundup dubbed Operation Dragon Slayer that wrapped up on Thursday.

Miami-Dade police described the arrests as a "major milestone" in the area's fight against the ongoing heroin epidemic.

Among those arrested was William Arthur Smith, 76, of the 7900 block of NW 12th Place, Miami. Smith was charged with a narcotics violation.

Police said Smith was arrested while attempting to conceal a green pill bottle that contained 10 capsules of a "brown powdery substance" consistent with heroin.

"Detectives from the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Narcotics Bureau in conjunction with the United States Postal Inspectors and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) have, over the past two days, achieved a major milestone in the ongoing campaign against the sale and distribution of heroin, fentanyl and carfentanyl throughout the county," police said in a statement.

Miami-Dade police said the arrests stemmed from a year-long investigation. Police also executed three search warrants during Operation Dragon Slayer.

"Dragon" is street slang for heroin.

"There has been growing concern about the distribution and use of these drugs across the South Florida region, especially about fentanyl, which experts say is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and heroin," according to police.

The arrests included:

• Erasmus Banmah, 34, who was identified as homeless by police.
• David Brown, 56, of the 900 block of NW 44th Street, Miami.
• Dori Cisneros, 30, of the 1800 block of NW 86th Street, Miami.
• Jimmeal Davis, 23, of the 3500 block of Grand Avenue, Miami.
• Omega Dupont, 45, of the 10400 block of SW 17th Street, Miami.
• Shaun Harris, 41, of the 2100 block of NW 85th Street, Miami.
• Emmanuel Louis, 29, of the 7000 block of NW 6th Avenue, Miami.
• Denise Mans, 36, of the 400 block of NW 8th Street, Miami.
• Daniel Moise, 24, of the 1800 block of Washington Avenue, Ope-Locka.
• Nancy M. Ortiz, 53, of the 900 block of NW 81st Street.
• Catherine Williams, 63, of the 6600 block of NW 12th Avenue, Miami.
• Freddie Perez, 58, of the 500 block of NW 33rd Street, Miami.
• Elvis Roundtree, whose age and address were not available.
• Alberto G. Vinas, 67, of the 1400 block of NW 7th Street, Miami
• Robert Young, 52, of the 1500 block of NW 51st Street, Miami.

Police also arrested Darren Fuller, 49, of the 14800 block of NW 6th Court on a charge of driving without a valid license. He was not charged with any other offenses.

The Miami-Dade Police Department is asking anyone who observes the sale of narcotics or other illegal drug activity to contact Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.