Sheriff: 92K pounds of suspected drugs, guns, IEDs seized from Florida warehouse; 'Breaking Bad on steroids'

Deputies uncover alleged drug and explosives operation in Brevard County

Authorities in Brevard County say a sweeping investigation led to the discovery of more than 92,000 pounds of illegal drugs and dozens of explosives inside a Palm Bay warehouse, an operation the sheriff compared to “Breaking Bad," but "on steroids."

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A 26-year-old Florida man was arrested after detectives seized more than 92,000 pounds of suspected illegal drugs, dozens of guns, and five improvised explosive devices from a warehouse, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said. 

Sheriff Ivey described the alleged drug operation as "'Breaking Bad' on steroids," referencing the hit AMC TV show.

What we know:

Several agencies – Brevard County Sheriff's Office, Plam Bay Police Department, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) – were part of the months-long investigation and raid, officials said. 

Maxwell Horvath, 26, has been detained and arrested on several weapons charges, Sheriff Ivey said in a Facebook Reel, and is under suspicion of producing and distributing a derivative of Kratom, also known as 7-OH, which is illegal in Florida, Sheriff Ivey said. Officials estimated the value of the alleged illegal substance found at a Palm Bay building equates to as much as $4.7 million.

Authorities also found five IEDs, grenade simulators, automatic weapons, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and several pieces of equipment, officials said.

Ivey added that Horvarth previously served time in federal prison for possession of explosives and trafficking in MDMA, a synthetic drug. He was reportedly sentenced to probation, Ivey said.

Officials had previously intercepted around 500 grams of MDMA – also known as Molly or Ecstasy – being shipped to Horvath from the Netherlands, a report said. 

What is Kratom and 7-OH?

The backstory:

7-OH is derived from a plant and works to bind opioid receptors. 

"When that’s compressed and put into a pill form, it’s 13 times more powerful than morphine," Ivey said. 

The FDA said this drug is dangerous because consumers can easily purchase products with concentrated levels of 7-OH online and in gas stations, corner stores and vape shops. It's also being marketed to children and teens by being put into fruit-flavored gummies and ice cream cones, the FDA said. 

This arrest comes a day after the FDA and U.S. Department of Justice announced a joint effort to target illegal products containing 7-hydroxymitragine. 73,000 units of product were seized at three warehouses in the country.