Miami-Dade drug bust yields $24 million in cash

MIAMI LAKES, Fla. – A raid of the home of a suspected Miami-Dade drug trafficker turned up a whopping $24 million in cash, all sealed in buckets.

Tuesday's bust also turned up several packages of steroids and a high-powered automatic weapon.

Based on information from the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Miami-Dade Police Narcotics Bureau raided the Miami Lakes home of Luis Hernandez-Gonzalez and Salma Hernandez.

During the raid, authorities found the buckets concealed within the walls of the home. The money was grouped in bundles of $100 bills.

Hernandez-Gonzalez, 44, is the owner of Blossom Experience, a Miami store that specializes in equipment to facilitate indoor gardening. 

Hernandez-Gonzalez was being investigated as part of a group trafficking marijuana out of Tennessee. The investigation includes wiretaps of Hernandez-Gonzalez sharing tips with an unnamed person on how to properly care for marijuana plants.

Surveillance footage exclusively obtained by Local 10 News shows undercover officers raiding the siblings' North Miami-Dade business Tuesday and arresting at least one person before putting up yellow crime scene tape to search for evidence.

"It was like a movie," Richard Gonzalez, who works across the street, said.

Authorities also raided Blossom Experience and found marijuana and a safe containing $180,000 in cash.

Relatives of the duo pulled up to the Miami Lakes home Wednesday night, but declined to speak to Local 10 News reporter Andrew Perez. 

Hernandez-Gonzalez faces charges of money laundering, cannabis trafficking, conspire to traffic cannabis, unlawful use of communication, possession of cannabis, weapon/possession while committing an offense, possession of place/purpose of trafficking.

Salma Hernandez, a Blossom Experience employee, was also arrested on charges of place/purpose of trafficking and possession of place/purpose of trafficking/conspiracy.