FBI dismantles cocaine trafficking ring, alleged ringleader arrested after escaping raid

TOWN ‘N’ COUNTRY, Florida – In August, the FBI raided a home on Middlesex Drive in Town ‘n’ Country. Court documents now reveal that officers were there to dismantle an alleged cocaine smuggling ring.

It was just before dawn when stun grenades woke the neighborhood. The FBI raided a trailer belonging to Eber Lopez.

SWAT vehicles and armed officers raided a trailer on Middlesex Drive. The home is believed to be at the center of a cocaine smuggling ring run by Lopez.

The FBI confirmed that arrests have been made. Documents show that Eduardo Ponce Tondee and John Hernandez Martin have both been taken into custody.

Somehow, Lopez managed to escape during the raid. Authorities wouldn’t say how he managed to elude federal agents, but our cameras could see that there was a lot of attention around the roof of the house.

After eight days on the run, he was arrested in Polk County on charges of trafficking and evading police.

Another woman, Tina Culkin, was also arrested for her role.

In total, four people linked to the alleged smuggling network were arrested for cocaine trafficking.

Court documents show that a supplier from Puerto Rico was sending packages of cocaine to various addresses in the Tampa area and that Lopez was picking up the packages.

A witness claims to have been paid $100 to receive the cocaine package intended for Lopez.

Authorities say one of the suspects in the indictment, Jaime Rivera, remains at large.

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