Three strikes you're out! DSWM and MDPD capitalize on three recent illegal dumping cases in Northwest Miami-Dade County that end in five arrests, a seized truck, and a fine

Three separate alleged illegal dumping cases in different areas of Northwest Miami-Dade County recently netted five arrests, a vehicle seizure and an illegally dumped boat.

1—In the first case, the alleged illegal dumper was caught on camera twice near NW 97th Avenue and NW 174th Street (although he would later confess to dumping there four times in all) in his employer’s vehicle. An investigation by a Waste Enforcement Officer (WEO) assigned to the Miami-Dade County Department of Solid Waste Management’s (DSWM) Special Investigations Unit (SIU) turned up that the accused violator had dumped at the site because proper disposal was “too far.”

The WEO provided details of his investigation to a Miami-Dade Police detective, who later arrested the alleged violator. The alleged violator’s employer cleaned up the mess left behind. Video and still photos of the incident, including video of the cleanup, can be downloaded from here.

2—The second case, which took place in the C9 Basin near NW 186th Street and NW 137th Avenue, involves a trash removal company. This case began with an anonymous email complaint. The WEO went to the site mentioned in the email, saw some trash that had been dumped, and reviewed video from a hidden camera at the location.

On the video, he saw a truck dumping debris at the site, as mentioned in the email complaint. He was able to trace the truck back to the company owner.

On a second visit to the site, the WEO found even more debris. He traced the debris back to an individual who had hired the trash removal company in question.

The WEO set up a “sting” operation with the help of a fellow enforcement officer, pretending to be a prospective customer of the trash removal company. When two of the company’s employees showed up, the WEOs questioned them and determined that the two employees had allegedly dumped at the site several times before on instruction of the company owner, who wanted the truck empty for the next day’s work. The employees also told the WEOs that the owner himself had dumped at the site in the past.

The WEO submitted details of the case to the Miami-Dade Police Department, which later led to the arrests of the company owner and his two employees, along with seizure of the truck used in the crime. Additionally, the company was fined $510 for hauling waste without a proper permit.

Videos and a still photo of this case can be downloaded from here.

3—The third case involves a boat and a sketchy story from the presumed boat owner. The investigating WEO found the boat in question tied to a light pole near a known illegal dumping “hotspot” (NW 73rd Street between NW 11th and 12th Avenues).

An eyewitness had previously seen the boat owner attempt to illegally dump the boat at another site slightly more than a mile away from the location where the boat was found by the WEO. The eyewitness took a photo of the alleged illegal dumper with a vehicle and trailer towing the boat in question. The anonymous eyewitness provided the photo to a different WEO, who issued a "Be On The Lookout" (BOLO) notification to the WEO investigating this case.

The investigating WEO spoke with the presumed boat owner, who denied having any knowledge of, or interest in, the boat. The WEO was later able to speak with the boat owner’s father and brother independently, who identified the boat as one that had been sitting on the side of the road in front of their home for some time. The father further confirmed that he had loaned his vehicle—a Dodge Durango—to his son specifically for removal of the boat.

Confronted with this evidence, the alleged illegal dumping violator admitted to the WEO that he had moved the boat because it had been sitting in front of his home for some time. Case details were shared with MDPD and the alleged violator was later arrested.

Still photos of this case can be downloaded from here.

“There are some who think illegal dumping is no big deal and if caught, they’ll simply get a slap on the wrist,” said Miami-Dade County Solid Waste Director Michael Fernandez. “But in Miami-Dade County, illegal dumping is a crime and if you’re caught doing it, that ‘slap on your wrist’ could be police handcuffs, a huge fine, seizure of your vehicle, and having to clean up the mess you made and dispose of it properly anyway.”

The DSWM reminds would-be violators that illegal dumping is a crime in Miami-Dade County and anyone caught doing it is subject to a fine, vehicle seizure and even possible arrest and incarceration. The DSWM further reminds any would-be violator that fine amounts were increased significantly by the Board of County Commissioners earlier this year, in order to deter illegal dumping.

Miami-Dade residents who witness an illegal dumping incident in progress should call 911. Never confront someone who is dumping. Instead, try to get the vehicle license plate number or at least a description of the vehicle used to commit the crime.

If an instance of illegal dumping has already happened, call 311.

Illegal dumping can also be reported using the MDC Solid Waste mobile application for Apple iPhone and Android smartphone users. It’s available for download free of charge in the iTunes and Google Play stores.

For more on illegal dumping, visit the DSWM website at miamidade.gov/illegaldumping.