POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Eight suspects have been arrested and 64 pounds of fentanyl, valued at $4.5 million, have been seized in Polk County, marking the largest fentanyl seizure in the county’s history.
The arrests and seizures were the result of two separate multi-agency undercover investigations targeting the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation Cartels, led by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the operations highlight the ongoing threat posed by international drug trafficking organizations.
“This is the largest seizure of fentanyl in Polk County to date – in just these two investigations, my detectives seized 64 pounds of fentanyl, which is enough to kill millions of people," Judd said.
The investigation into the Sinaloa Cartel began in July 2024, when counterfeit fentanyl pills disguised as blue oxycodone pills were discovered being trafficked from Sonora, Mexico, to Phoenix, Arizona, and then to Florida.
Detectives coordinated shipments of pills to Polk County, resulting in the seizure of approximately 17 pounds of fentanyl pills.
On April 28, 2025, undercover detectives said they purchased approximately nine pounds of fentanyl pills from Regina Lynn Headspeth in Lakeland. A traffic stop in Phoenix led to the recovery of the money used in the transaction. Headspeth was later apprehended in Arizona.
Deputies said Adrian Francisco Munguia was arrested after transporting nine pounds of fentanyl from Daytona Beach to Polk County. Officials said he was previously involved in transactions with undercover detectives.
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel investigation led to the arrest of six suspects and the seizure of approximately 29 pounds of fentanyl. Some of the drugs were concealed inside fake car batteries to evade detection.
In April 2025, Adalberto Diaz transported one kilogram of fentanyl from Georgia to Polk County. He was later arrested along with his daughter, Alejandrina Diaz, when they attempted to transport additional fentanyl.
Officials said these operations underscore the significant threat posed by international drug cartels and the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to combat the flow of deadly drugs into the United States and Florida.
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