Florida Jeweler Busted for Cocaine Sales Operation

A Florida jeweler has been charged with running a cocaine operation out of his store. Pedro Martinez, owner of Three J Jewelers in Spring Hill, Florida, faces 21 drug-related counts after an undercover investigation by the Hernando County sheriff’s department. According to Fox 13 Tampa Bay, agents made four undercover purchases of cocaine from Martinez before executing a search warrant at the store. During the search, both cocaine and crack cocaine were allegedly discovered on the premises. “It’s hard to judge how many people were coming in here legitimately to sell things like their gold jewelry and how many of them were doing it for drugs and associated with criminal activity,” Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis said. The investigation also revealed potential violations in jewelry sales regulations, as secondhand gold transactions are subject to strict rules. Martinez’s arrest has left the business operating “as usual,” according to reports. Charges against Martinez include trafficking, sale, and possession of cocaine, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, and possession of drug paraphernalia.