MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Authorities took a suspected drug trafficker into custody Thursday night after a chase in Miami-Dade County ended with several vehicles being struck.
It happened Thursday night, starting at around 9:55 p.m.
According to the Miami-Dade Sherriff’s Office, detectives with its Narcotics Section, along with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Miami Beach Police Department, collaborated in a seven-month-long investigation in which Anthony Medina, 33, of Miami, was identified as the main supplier of a fentanyl trafficking organization.
Deputies said they tried to conduct a traffic stop on Medina Thursday night, but he fled.
“During the pursuit, Medina intentionally struck a K-9 SUV, which caused it to crash into a concrete wall in the area of NW 72 Street and NW 1 Avenue,” an MDSO press release issued Friday stated. “City of Miami Fire Rescue responded, treated and released the deputy. K-9 Roxy, which was inside the vehicle, was transported to an emergency veterinarian hospital and is now stable. Due to her injuries, she will be seeing a specialist today.”
Deputies said during the chase, another MDSO vehicle was involved in a traffic crash with a civilian at Northeast Second Avenue and 17th Street before the chase ended in the westbound lanes of the Dolphin Expressway near the exit for Northwest 12th Avenue.
The deputy involved in that crash was treated at the scene, while a man in the other vehicle was taken to a local hospital in stable condition.
Medina was taken into custody after a brief struggle, along with two others identified as Julio Flores, 35, and Krystal E. Flores, 34, authorities said.
According to an arrest report, detectives had been investigating Medina since last year after a known drug trafficker identified as Kristian Diaz sold hundreds of Oxycodone and fentanyl pills to an undercover deputy in June and July of 2024.
Detectives said Medina was Diaz’s drug supplier.
According to the press release, the search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of:
- 12 grams of suspect psilocybin mushrooms
- 252 bags of suspect marijuana totaling 1,411 grams
- 90 boxes of marijuana totaling 315 grams
- 20 boxes of suspect THC cartridges +/- 400 grams
- 14 packs of marijuana edibles totaling 678 grams
- U.S. currency totaling $8,525
- 1 firearm
Medina faces multiple charges, including trafficking fentanyl, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, fleeing and eluding causing injury, possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell, possession of THC and resisting an officer with violence.
As of Friday afternoon, he was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center where his bond had yet to be set.
Julio Flores, meanwhile, faces charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and resisting an officer without violence while Krystal Flores faces a charge of resisting an officer without violence.
As of Friday, Krystal Flores was being held at TGK on a $500 bond. Julio Flores was also being held at TGK, but his bond had yet to be set.