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After a 10-year investigation, the FBI arrested a Boca Raton man and eight other people in three states Thursday for running marijuana grow houses.
Rocco Coviello, 50, of Boca Raton was cultivating 630 marijuana plants of all sizes inside his posh Parkland estate, authorities said.
The estimated street value: about $2 million.
It was one of the largest residential pot lab busts ever reported in Broward County. Every corner of the 3,500 square foot home was being used to grow pot, including hallways, closets and the garage.
The suspects – also from Ohio, Arizona, California, Illinois and Pennsylvania – were each charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine.
An indictment handed down Thursday in Ohio lists the alleged leaders of the ring as Coviello, his nephew, Anthony Coviello, 32 also of Boca Raton; and Anthony Spota, 46, of Pompano Beach.
The drug network is accused of distributing thousands of pounds of marijuana and other drugs in Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania and other states.
In May, the police seized 1,000 pounds of marijuana in Dayton and 30 kilograms of cocaine in Youngstown, according to a seven-count federal indictment unsealed Thursday. The task force also seized six Florida properties, worth about $6 million, and $391,000 in cash.
Other Floridians indicted includedBoca Raton residents David Traverna Jr., 30, David Traverna Sr., 59, and Richard DaSilva; and West Palm Beach residents Andreas Hatzilouloudes, 24, and Michael Ahders, 43.
By Dani Davies
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/news/feeds/1210drugs.html
Rocco Coviello, 50, of Boca Raton was cultivating 630 marijuana plants of all sizes inside his posh Parkland estate, authorities said.
The estimated street value: about $2 million.
It was one of the largest residential pot lab busts ever reported in Broward County. Every corner of the 3,500 square foot home was being used to grow pot, including hallways, closets and the garage.
The suspects – also from Ohio, Arizona, California, Illinois and Pennsylvania – were each charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine.
An indictment handed down Thursday in Ohio lists the alleged leaders of the ring as Coviello, his nephew, Anthony Coviello, 32 also of Boca Raton; and Anthony Spota, 46, of Pompano Beach.
The drug network is accused of distributing thousands of pounds of marijuana and other drugs in Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania and other states.
In May, the police seized 1,000 pounds of marijuana in Dayton and 30 kilograms of cocaine in Youngstown, according to a seven-count federal indictment unsealed Thursday. The task force also seized six Florida properties, worth about $6 million, and $391,000 in cash.
Other Floridians indicted includedBoca Raton residents David Traverna Jr., 30, David Traverna Sr., 59, and Richard DaSilva; and West Palm Beach residents Andreas Hatzilouloudes, 24, and Michael Ahders, 43.
By Dani Davies
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/news/feeds/1210drugs.html
