The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol, and the Drug Enforcement Agency Friday announced 15 arrests in a cocaine bust.
A year long narcotics investigation, “Operation Scarface,” followed two Jacksonville drug operations using multiple houses from the Northside to the Southside said Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams.
He said additional arrests are expected.
Williams called the two trafficking operations the “Bellamy Organization” and the “Mizell Organization” after Phillip Leander Bellamy, 36, and Christopher Mizell, 33, the two people suspected of running them. Mizell was arrested in October.
“Each were moving multiple kilos of cocaine into Jacksonville for distribution,” Williams said.
Arrest warrants have been issued for Bellamy and Dennis Lashad Hicks, 28. Bellamy is a 5-foot-10 black male. Hicks is a 5-foot-11 black male.
Williams said Mizell would occasionally purchase cocaine from Bellamy.
He said 36 kilos of powdered cocaine valued at $1.2 million was recovered over the course of the year along with half a kilogram of heroin valued at $45,000, 4 pounds of marijuana, 22 firearms, four seized vehicles and $276,000 in cash.
Williams said working these types of cases doesn’t only impact the drug trade. Six of the guns were also stolen.
“In cases like this, that’s an extreme level of violence that you see with two organizations that carry this type of firearms,” Williams said. “When you talk about a drug organization, it’s not a nonviolent crime.”
Mizell Organization
Williams said the Mizell group was supplied by a Cuban man from Miami. The cocaine was driven up from Miami to Jacksonville.
“During the course of the investigation a total of 5 kilos were interdicted by law enforcement that were destined for Mizell for distribution inside the city of Jacksonville,” Williams said.
He said $70,000 in cash and three vehicles were also seized in connection to the Mizell group.
Eight arrests were made, including Mizell. The three top members from Miami were federally indicted. The remaining five are being prosecuted locally in Jacksonville.
Bellamy Organization
Williams said the Bellamy Organization was supplied by an undetermined source from Atlanta. He said during the investigation JSO learned one member of the group was a truck driver responsible for driving cash to Atlanta and drugs back to Jacksonville.
“As the investigation progressed, investigators learned of a shipment of cocaine being delivered to members of the organization here in Jacksonville,” Williams said. “Those investigators were able to develop probable cause for seven search warrants within Duval County.”
The search led to the seizure of 31 kilos of cocaine, half a kilo of heroin, 4 lbs of marijuana, 22 firearms and one vehicle as well as $206,000 in cash.
Seven arrests were made in connection to the Bellamy group.
“I would encourage anyone who knows the whereabouts of Phillip Bellamy or Dennis Hicks to reach out to us directly,” Williams said.
The number is (904) 630-0500 or call Crime Stoppers 1-866-845-TIPS.
Reporter Lindsey Kilbride can be reached at lkilbride@wjct.org, 904-358-6359 or on Twitter at @lindskilbride.
