Drug Sting Outside Florida Tractor Supply Store Leads to Seizure of Thousands of Fentanyl Pills

Authorities in Florida said Friday that one man is facing charges after he sold around five pounds of cocaine and thousands of fentanyl pills to an undercover detective.

The Indian River county Sheriff’s Office said the bust was the result of a months-long investigation that involved “multiple individuals from outside the country.”

Sheriff Eric Flowers said during a press conference on Friday that the sting took place outside a Tractor Supply Co. store on County Road 512 in the Sebastian area shortly before 4 p.m. on Wednesday. The suspect, 52-year-old Alberto Ayala, traveled from the Ocala area to make the deal, in which he sold two kilograms of cocaine and nearly eight ounces of counterfeit Oxycodone pills, which were pressed fentanyl pills.

“These would’ve ended up on the streets,” Flowers said. “This is a couple hundred thousand dollars worth of drugs that would’ve ended up on the streets of Indian River County.”

Ayala was charged with four counts of trafficking a controlled substance, and four counts of felony unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

“We continue to seek out those who are selling fentanyl and other drugs in our community. With an open border, these drugs are more plentiful than ever before, as you can see in this case. Our team is committed to eradicating these illicit narcotics and seeking justice for overdose victims,” Flowers said in a statement.

The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains ongoing, “with more arrests anticipated in the near future.”

—TMX contributed to this report