FLORENCE, SC (Press Release) – Specially trained deputies with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Enforcement Unit (CEU) made recent arrests for trafficking in heroin in Florence County. In separate incidents, deputies seized a significant quantity of both heroin and cocaine.
On April 8, 2015 during a routine traffic stop for a moving violation on northbound I-95 near the 159 mile marker, deputies found 1.87 pounds of heroin in a hidden compartment after the operator gave consent to search the vehicle. Dany Toro-Munera was arrested and charged with Trafficking in Heroin.
On April 13, 2015, deputies stopped a silver Toyota for a moving violation on I-95 at about the southbound 158 mile marker. A specially trained narcotics detecting canine alerted on the vehicle, and following a search, a quantity of heroin and powder cocaine was found. Deputies arrested Jean Pierre Brown, Cory Phieffe and Monserrate Ruiz and charged them with Trafficking in Heroin and Possession of Cocaine.
According to deputies, they have noticed a significant increase in heroin use and trafficking recently, in part due to the production and smuggling of relatively cheap heroin from South America. In addition, heroin is often used as a street drug substitute by addicts who become dependent on much more expensive prescription drugs such as Oxycodone. Aside from the usual devastating effects of addiction associated with heroin use, the impurity and varying quality of heroin purchased on the street presents a tremendous risk of death by overdose and/or poisoning to the user.
All 4 suspects are currently being held at the Florence County Detention Center pending trial. Toro-Munera is being held on a $20,000.00 surety bond. Brown, Phieffer and Ruiz were denied bond.
