A series of raids undertaken by the Volusia Bureau of Investigation (VBI) and the U.S. DEA on Wednesday, nabbed eight suspects, three of whom are brothers–Bernardo Real, Geronimo Real and Leonardo Real–running a real family business trafficking in illegal narcotics.
On Wednesday, the family business accused of trafficking in massive quantities of cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamines in the DeLand and DeLeon Springs sections of Northwest Volusia County was shut down. In addition to the Real brothers, five others also were arrested during the drug sweep carried out by the Volusia Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Dubbed Operation Cold As Ice/Clear as Ice, the investigation into the drug trafficking organization was launched earlier this year, when VBI agents developed information implicating the Real brothers in large-scale drug deals primarily based out of DeLeon Springs. The evidence developed in the investigation resulted in the issuance of a series of arrest and search warrants that were executed early Wednesday morning. Shortly after 6 a.m., agents fanned out to several locations in Volusia County in a search for suspects linked to the organization. All three Real brothers were nabbed, two in DeLeon Springs and one in DeLand.
In total, agents arrested eight suspects on Wednesday and continue to search for several others linked to the drug network. The investigation also yielded several major drug seizures, totaling nearly 40,000 grams of cocaine, 10 pounds of marijuana, 200 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 30 doses of hydrocodone.
The following six defendants were arrested Wednesday on warrants connected to the investigation:
- Gabriel Escobar Carbajal, 28, Crescent City. Trafficking in cocaine. $226,000 bond.
- Victor Edwards, 46, DeLand. Trafficking in cocaine. $226,000 bond.
- Oscar Salgado Leon, 24, DeLeon Springs. Trafficking in cocaine. $226,000 bond.
- Bernardo Real, 42, DeLeon Springs. Trafficking in cocaine. $226,000 bond.
- Geronimo Real, 31, DeLeon Springs. Trafficking in cocaine. $226,000 bond.
- Leonardo Real, 38, DeLand. Trafficking in cocaine. $176,000 bond.
As agents conducted Wednesday’s operation, they encountered two other people who were arrested on drug charges:
- Blas Real, 18, DeLeon Springs. Possession of marijuana over 20 grams, $1,500 bond.
- Ramiro Salgado, 34, DeLand. Armed trafficking in cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. No bond.
Agents also seized five firearms on Wednesday and searched homes at the following four locations:
DeLand
- 2058 S. Spring Garden Ave.
- 908 Valleydale Ave.
DeLeon Springs
- 5222 Aragon Ave.
- 740 Johnson Lake Road
