DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Volusia County law enforcement is searching for approximately 50 people believed to be connected to a violent drug gang following a series of morning raids, according to Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood.
Chitwood said the gang, known as the “Cut Throat Murderers,” has been linked to multiple fatal overdoses and shootings across the east side of the county over the past year. About a dozen suspects are in custody as of Tuesday, with the search for the remaining individuals still active.
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Deputies executed search warrants at 10 properties Tuesday morning. Among them was a house in Holly Hill adjacent to Greater Harvest Church — a property authorities say was used to store many of the weapons and drugs. The sheriff said the home is owned by the church’s pastor.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and Daytona Beach Police Department launched the investigation last year after realizing several overdoses and shootings were connected to the same group. The FBI was later brought in to assist.
Investigators say the break in the case came largely from tips provided by residents in the affected neighborhoods.
“They don’t like what’s been going on in this community which is why they gave us the tips that we got in order to get where we are in this investigation,” said Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young.
Surveillance footage gathered during the investigation allegedly shows a steady flow of armed individuals at the property near the church. Sheriff Chitwood said the volume of activity at the location left little doubt the pastor was aware of what was happening.
“Clearly there is a lot of activity going back and forth and on the surveillance it’s the who’s who of gun-toting drug dealers on the East side of the county who was there. People who have multiple convictions for firearms, shootings, guns — there’s no way the good pastor there didn’t know what her son was up to,” Chitwood said.
Chitwood and Young both expressed confidence the operation would significantly reduce drug activity on the county’s east side. Authorities say they are actively monitoring known locations and expect to take the remaining suspects into custody soon.
This story will be updated as new information becomes available.