Florida bust nets 92,000 pounds, military-grade weapons
The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday it seized about 92,000 pounds of illegal kratom‑derived substances and an arsenal of weapons and explosives from a Palm Bay operation, arresting 26‑year‑old Maxwell Horvath. Sheriff Wayne Ivey alleged Horvath’s firm, Overseas Organics, produced a 7‑hydroxymitragynine product far more potent than morphine; Horvath faces 36 counts of felon‑in‑possession, plus charges for two short‑barreled machine guns and a short‑barreled rifle, with additional explosive‑device charges pending. Officials called it the largest seizure of its kind nationally and displayed IEDs, suppressors, thousands of rounds, and other “military‑grade” items.
📌 Key Facts
- Suspect: Maxwell Horvath, 26, arrested in Brevard County, Florida
- Seizure: ~92,000 pounds of illegal substances; estimated $4.7 million value
- Weapons/explosives: 5 IEDs; 12 rifles; 17 pistols; 3 shotguns; 2 fully automatic submachine guns; 1 short‑barreled rifle; 3 suppressors; thousands of rounds; grenade simulators
- Charges: 36 counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; counts for short‑barreled machine guns and rifle; more charges anticipated
- Alleged product: 7‑hydroxymitragynine (7‑OH) kratom derivative; operation tied to Overseas Organics
📊 Relevant Data
Florida Attorney General issued an emergency rule in August 2025 designating 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, banning its sale and possession in the state.
Florida AG issues emergency rule banning kratom compound — Florida Phoenix
An estimated 1.6 million Americans aged 12 and older used kratom in 2023, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
What is Kratom and Why is It Raising Concerns? — American Psychiatric Association
In a 2024 study of 357 regular kratom users in the US, 91% identified as White, compared to approximately 60% of the US population being non-Hispanic White.
Ecological Momentary Assessment of Self-Reported Kratom Use, Effects, and Motivations Among US Adults — JAMA Network Open
The death rate for past-year kratom use in the United States was determined to be 0.30 per 100,000 users, compared to 417 per 100,000 for any opioid users.
The acute adverse health effects of kratom: an evaluation of case reports from the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — Frontiers in Pharmacology
In fiscal year 2023, of offenders sentenced for felon in possession of a firearm under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), 58.8% were Black, 21.6% White, and 16.5% Hispanic, compared to US population percentages of approximately 13% Black, 60% White, and 19% Hispanic.
Quick Facts - Felon in Possession of a Firearm - FY 2023 — United States Sentencing Commission
Since the Supreme Court's 2022 Bruen decision, more than 1,000 felons have challenged the constitutionality of federal bans on their firearm possession in court.
Post-Bruen, More Than 1,000 Felons Challenge Their Gun Bans — The Trace