Man dies after trying to swallow bags of heroin, crack during Florida drug raid: deputies

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A man who attempted to conceal several plastic bags full of drugs in his mouth from Florida deputies has died, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday.

Around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, deputies executed a search warrant at a suspected drug house that had been under investigation, located at 808 South Clara Avenue in Deland.

Five people were detained inside the home.

Deputies said one of the suspects, Cornell McKinney, 54, was not cooperating or verbally responding to authorities.

The sheriff’s office suspected McKinney was attempting to conceal or swallow narcotics. He refused deputies’ orders to open his mouth and spit out whatever he had.

McKinney then became unresponsive, and as fire personnel began life-saving measures, they pulled three plastic baggies out of his mouth. Two of those bags contained suspected heroin/fentanyl and crack cocaine, the sheriff’s office said.

He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

The cause of death is pending an autopsy from the Medical Examiner.

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