A 73-year-old and an 89-year-old man have been arrested in Miami after police allegedly discovered cocaine, marijuana, two firearms and ammunition during a raid on a property linked to an undercover drug investigation.
The arrests followed an operation that began in August, when an undercover officer allegedly bought cocaine from Magdaleno Medina, 73, at his trailer on 19 August.
Police later obtained a search warrant and carried out a raid involving a SWAT team on Wednesday, according to arrest records cited by US media.
Inside the property, investigators reported finding drugs packaged in numerous small plastic bags, along with two handguns and ammunition.
Police allegedly find cocaine and marijuana
According to the arrest report, officers recovered approximately 141 grams of cocaine during the search.
Investigators also allegedly found 1,278 grams of marijuana, with the cannabis reportedly divided into multiple smaller bags.
The quantities and packaging formed part of the basis for the drug-related charges against the two men.
The search also uncovered a Smith & Wesson .38 revolver and a SIG Sauer P365 9mm handgun, together with ammunition for both weapons.
Police further alleged that both firearms had previously been reported stolen.
Undercover operation preceded the raid
The investigation reportedly began with an undercover purchase.
According to police records, an undercover officer allegedly bought a $60 bag of cocaine from Medina on 19 August.
The transaction reportedly took place at his trailer in Miami and became part of the evidence used by investigators before the subsequent search.
Authorities then moved in on the property on Wednesday, with police and a SWAT team participating in the operation.
The raid resulted in the arrests of Medina and Cesar Valdes, 89.
Both men face serious charges
The two men were booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center following their arrests.
Their charges include armed cocaine trafficking and grand theft of a firearm, according to reports.
The allegations have not been tested at trial, and an arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt.
The men’s cases will now proceed through the US criminal justice system, where prosecutors will have to prove the charges against them.
Police say firearms were previously reported stolen
The discovery of the weapons has added another dimension to the case.
Investigators reportedly determined that the .38 revolver had been reported stolen in another Florida county.
The 9mm handgun was also allegedly listed as stolen in Doral, a city in Miami-Dade County.
The presence of firearms alongside the alleged drug operation is reflected in the armed-trafficking charges brought against the men.
Immigration hold placed on both suspects
Both Medina and Valdes were born in Cuba, according to the information cited in reports.
Jail records indicate that the men are also being held on immigration-related detainers.
Their immigration status is separate from the criminal allegations arising from the Miami investigation and does not determine whether they are guilty of the charges.
The men are being represented by the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office, according to The Miami Herald.
Unusual case highlights the reach of drug investigations
The arrests have attracted attention partly because of the ages of the suspects.
At 89, Valdes is well into his later years, while Medina is 73. Their ages make the case unusual, but investigators’ allegations centre on the evidence they say was uncovered during the undercover operation and subsequent search.
The case also illustrates how a relatively small undercover purchase can become the starting point for a wider investigation.
Police moved from an alleged street-level cocaine transaction to a search that uncovered drugs, firearms and ammunition — potentially exposing a much larger set of criminal allegations.
The two men remain accused rather than convicted, and the evidence recovered during the raid will now face scrutiny as the case moves through the courts.
