A Miami-Dade sheriff’s deputy, Francisco Melo, 36, is facing accusations of smuggling narcotic pills by concealing them inside bags of candy. Melo, a six-year veteran of the Miami-Dade Police Department, was arrested on Friday morning at the Royal Caribbean terminal in PortMiami.
Detectives took him into custody just as he was preparing to board the Allure of the Seas cruise on Thursday morning. Arrest reports suggest that Melo may have been involved in narcotics trafficking, with the pills hidden in his luggage.
Investigators say Melo was planning to smuggle MDMA pills onto the Allure of the Seas, which was hosting a four-day music festival onboard. Arrest documents reveal that detectives searched Melo’s luggage and found 60 pills concealed inside Skittles candy bags.
The arrest came after a confidential informant had previously purchased the same type of narcotics from Melo. Authorities believe the deputy had been involved in narcotics trafficking and was attempting to bring the drugs aboard the cruise ship.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz expressed her disappointment in the deputy in a statement, saying in part: “Narcotics don’t just harm those who use them, they devastate families, and fuel crime. No one is above the law, and this office will not tolerate criminal behavior from anyone, especially those entrusted to enforce it. The actions of this individual are a betrayal of the public trust and of all the deputies who work tirelessly to protect our community. We will cooperate fully with the state attorney’s office throughout the legal process.”
Sheriff’s Deputy Melo is charged with possession, sale and trafficking of a controlled substance. He was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
