The Brief
11 people have been arrested in connection with a saw palmetto berry heist in Florida.
Deputies recovered 6,000 pounds of the berries.
Nine of the 11 suspects are undocumented and now have ICE detainers.
PALM CITY, Fla. - Eleven men, including nine who deputies say are undocumented, are accused of trying to steal thousands of pounds of saw palmetto berries in Florida.
The backstory
Deputies with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office say they believe that the suspects are part of an organized crime ring that has been targeting counties across Florida.
Investigators believe they had been surveilling private property and farmland in Martin County.
They said the crew set their sights on a property near SW Citrus Blvd. as Agriculture Unit detectives were conducting counter-surveillance, tracking their movements into the county and waiting for what they suspected would be a berry-bountiful heist.
According to MCSO, all 11 suspects tried to resist arrest and avoid being captured, but deputies apprehended them after multiple taser deployments.
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They were all taken to jail and nine suspects, who were undocumented, are now under ICE detainers.
Detectives said they recovered 6,000 pounds of stolen saw palmetto berries, which would have been a significant loss to farmers.
They also seized journals listing other potential victims, which revealed the scope of their operations.
What they're saying
In a social media post, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office wrote, "Let this be a warning: if you come into Martin County to steal, especially from our farmers and landowners, you’re risking your freedom. And if you are undocumented and commit these crimes, know that we will cooperate fully with federal authorities, including ICE, for your detainment."
What's next
The suspects now face felony and misdemeanor charges.
The Source
This story was written with information posted by the Martin County Sheriff's Office.
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