141-1999 LTC
C,I T Y 0 F M I A M I B E A C H
CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
http:\\ci.miami-beach.fl,us
L.T.C. No.
141-1999
LETTER TO COMMISSION
June 29, 1999
TO:
Mayor Neisen O. Kasdin and
Members of the City mmission
OLICE DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC INVESTIGATIONS
FROM:
Sergio Rodriguez
City Manager
SUBJECT: MIAMI BEA
UNIT
This Letter to the Commission is to advise the Mayor and City Commission of the enforcement
efforts of the Miami Beach Police Department's Strategic Investigations Unit (SIU).
The SIU handles a number of criminal violations that affect not only the residents of the City of
Miami Beach but also those living and visiting the South Florida Area. The Strategic Investigations
Unit investigates all narcotics violations, money laundering, organized crime, liquor law violations,
prostitution, gambling, and special investigations for the Office of the Chief of Police.
The SIU is comprised ofthe Street Narcotics Unit, Organized Crime I Intelligence Unit, the Financial
Crimes Task Force (FINCREST), IMPACT, DEA-HIDTA GROUP I, and ODESSA. The SIU has
a two-prong approach to the drug problem as it relates to the City. The first is to deal with street level
drugs which impact the quality of life of our residents. The second approach is to assign detectives
from the unit to outside task forces who investigate maj or narcotics trafficking and money laundering
cases. These investigations disrupt both the supply and the money generated from these trafficking
operations which in turn affect the availability of street level narcotics in the City.
STREET NARCOTICS UNIT
The Street Narcotics Unit utilized the following means to identify high priority targets: citizen
narcotics complaints, intelligence developed by our street level narcotics detectives, intelligence
gained through the development and use of confidential informants I confidential sources, and
through the use of patrol officers information.
For the period January 1, 1999, to May 31, 1999, the Street Narcotics Unit has compiled the
following enforcement statistics:
-1-
Total Arrests
- 282
Cocaine:
Crack
Powder
Other
- 163 Arrests
- 54 Arrests
- 10 Arrests
Marijuana
- 41 Arrests
Heroin
4 Arrests
Other Drugs
- 3 1 Arrests
Prostitution
- 85 Arrests
Narcotics Seizures
Cocaine Rocks
Cocaine Powder
Marijuana
- 400 rocks
- 415 grams
- 413 grams
Currency Seizures
- $ 11,826.60
ORGANIZED CRIME / INTELLIGENCE UNIT
The Organized Crime I Intelligence Unit is responsible for conducting long term investigations into
traditional and non-traditional organized crime groups operating in the City. These organizations are
active in narcotics trafficking, money laundering, prostitution, and tax evasion. The unit has gained
valuable information regarding organized crime targets in 1999. They have maintained open
communications and a shared data base with the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau ofInvestigation and the Miami-Dade Police
Department.
The detectives assigned to the unit are also responsible for preparing threat assessments for dignitary
visits and the various political organizations that have the potential for disruptive activities in the
City. This unit has the additional responsibilities of handling all confiscation/asset forfeiture work
for the Police Department and coordinating the Nuisance Abatement Investigations. These inquiries
are complex and time consuming, as they require the detective to coordinate hislher efforts with the
City Attorney's Office.
For the period January 1, 1999, to May 31, 1999, the Organized CrimelIntelligence Unit has
compiled the following enforcement statistics:
Confiscations/Asset Forfeiture:
Currency
Pending Forfeiture
Vehicles
- $159,781.00
- $117,000.00
- 3
-2-
Nuisance Abatement Cases:
- 11 open cases
6 cases have been successfully prosecuted and
are being monitored for compliance of the
sanctions imposed by the Nuisance Abatement
Board.
TASK FORCES
Financial Crimes Task Force (FINCREST)
FINCREST is a multi-agency task force comprised of detectives from the Miami Beach, Miami,
Sunny Isles, North Miami Beach Police Departments, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement
and the Internal Revenue Service. The task force conducts investigations into international money
laundering organizations who utilize the banking industry to further this illegal activity. The banking
industry records suspicious transactions through the use of Suspicious Activity Reports (SAR's).
Currently, Florida is the third largest producer of Suspicious Activity Reports in the United States.
IMPACT
IMPACT is a multi-agency task force comprised of detectives from several Miami-Dade County
Police agencies and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Miami Beach detectives conduct
investigations into money laundering and narcotics trafficking organizations. This task force is
considered a model for the nation and the Miami Beach detectives assigned to this task force are
highly regarded throughout the Law Enforcement Community. One of the Miami Beach detectives
assigned to this task force was awarded the Florida Police Chiefs Association Officer of the Year
award for 1998.
For the period January 1, 1999, to May 31, 1999, the IMPACT Task Force has compiled the
following enforcement statistics:
Currency Seizures
- $15,000,000.00
Narcotics Seizures:
Cocaine
Marijuana
- 5100 kilos cocaine
- 245 pounds marijuana
Arrests
- 42
Drug EnforcementAdministration -High Impact Drug Trafficking Area Group I (DEA-HIDTA)
DEA-HIDT A GROUP I is a task force that deals with domestic and international narcotics
trafficking. These detectives are the lead investigators in cases that will have a direct impact on the
South Florida Area. The outstanding work performed by these detectives is expected to result in the
arrest of more than 100 subjects by the year's end.
ODESSA -RUSSIAN-EURASIAN CRIME TASK FORCE
ODESSA - RUSSIAN-EURASIAN CRIME TASK FORCE is a multi-agency task force comprised
of the United States Attorneys Office, Miami Beach Police Department, United States Marshals
-3-
Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. The task force
concentrates on Russian-Eurasian Organized Crime entities that deal in narcotics trafficking, money
laundering, white slavery, and prostitution. Many of the cases the task force deals with involve
domestic and international security issues. Since 1998, the task force has effected more than 50
arrests.
SR/RB/JS/SDR/PS/MMS
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