11 arrested, accused of heroin trafficking in Orlando

Published February 26, 2016

Eleven people have been arrested after an investigation of an operation that law enforcement officials say sold heroin from restaurant parking lots near Orlando's International Drive tourist district.

Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings announced the arrests Thursday.

The Orlando Sentinel (http://bit.ly/1LhRxCW ) reports that officials say the network known as "La Compania" — or "The Company" — sold about 2.2 pounds of heroin each week.

A criminal complaint says the group sold as many as 200 baggies of heroin to dealers for $10 each. Some of the "dealers" were undercover officers.

In August, Demings and Orlando Mayor Teresa Jacobs created a heroin task force.

During a news conference Thursday, Demings said that from Jan. 1 to Feb. 20, the sheriff's office responded to 75 heroin-related overdoses. He says eight were fatal.

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Information from: Orlando Sentinel, http://www.orlandosentinel.com/

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