“Breaking Bad” on steroids.
That’s how Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey described what was uncovered in a Dec. 3 raid by federal and local authorities at a Palm Bay business, revealing a drug manufacturing operation and a cache of military-grade weapons, including a camouflaged, tripod-mounted .50 caliber machine gun typically used to take out tanks.
In a videotaped statement released on social media, Ivey and Palm Bay Police Chief Mariano Augello stood in front a table lined with rifles and other weapons as they talked about the raid on Palm Bay-based OverseasOrganiz, 1581 Robert J. Conlan Blvd.
The business, owned by 26-year-old Maxwell Horvatz, sold Kratom teas and powders, which are legal to consume in Florida, and Kratom’s more powerful and now illegal concentrated derivative, 7-OH. The items were methodically stacked and stored at the business, which also held compressor machines and chemical agents. (held?)
Horvatz was taken into custody and turned over to the Brevard County Jail Complex, where he is being held without bond. The agencies had not listed the charges by early Thursday, Dec. 4. Horvatz previously served two years in federal prison on unrelated charges and could face weapons charges as a convicted felon, Ivey said.
“This is the largest seizure of its kind,” Ivey said of the 92,000 pounds of opioid-like compound 7-OH located and removed by agents.
Chief: ‘We’re not just talking about drugs’
The type of weapons, explosives and chemicals used to potentially manufacture bombs found at the site, located in the city’s industrial area, drew immediate concern, Chief Augello said.
“It’s improvised explosives; five IEDs were located on this property … 50 pounds of precursor chemicals to make explosives,” Augello said.
“We’re not just talking about drugs or you know, illegal substances out of the streets but explosive devices that are utilized by the military and other countries.”
In addition, 17 pistols, 12 rifles, three shotguns, two automatic machine guns and other firearms were taken during the search.
“This is what danger looks like right here. Everything that you see behind us, everything you see in front of us is a red flag for disaster,” Ivey said.
“The guy was making his own suppressors, fully automatic weapons, explosive devices … he was looking to engage war or looking to arm those and furnish to those that are.”
Federal investigators were expected to provide further information at a later date, Ivey said.
The investigation involved Palm Bay police, ATF, DEA and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and began in September, with undercover officers making purchases of the concentrate.
Ivey said Horvath appears to believe that he can sell and ship the items out of state legally.
“The best part of this is he knows its illegal but actually thinks he’s circumventing the system … he thinks that if you go there and make a purchase, or you make a purchase and ship it out of the state of Florida he’s not violating the law, well, trick or treat, he is,” Ivey said.
Search warrants at the shop located several boxes of the packaged compound 7-OH. Kratom, an otherwise natural herbal supplement sold in Kava shops and other stores in Brevard.
In Kava shops, Kratom — long marketed as an alternative pain reliever and energy booster — is typically sold as a bitter tea with a strong medicinal taste and has grown in popularity over the years.
In October, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeir targeted the largely unregulated Kratom market by signing off on an emergency rule forbidding the sale or distribution of the concentrated compound 7-OH or 7 hydroxymitragynine derived from Kratom because of its opioid-like qualities.
No court date has been set for Horvatz.
J.D. Gallop is a Criminal Justice/Breaking News Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com. X: @JDGallop.
