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Pinellas County’s ‘Operation Snow Storm’ leads to 19 arrests and the seizure of drugs, guns, cash

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Updated  April 30, 2025 3:33pm EDT
Pinellas County
FOX 13 News
Several arrests in drug trafficking operation

Several arrests in drug trafficking operation

Ariel Plasencia reports.

The Brief

    • Nineteen people have been arrested in connection with ‘Operation Snow Storm’ in Pinellas County.
    • The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said they seized more than two kilograms or 4.4 pounds of cocaine, six ounces of fentanyl, 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine and numerous fake Oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl and fake Adderall pills that contained methamphetamine. A pill press, an AK-47, a rifle, seven handguns, including one that was stolen, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition and $14,000 in cash.
    • Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said many of the people arrested are facing the minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years in prison.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office says it busted a drug trafficking organization that had been operating for years. 

By the numbers:

On Monday and Tuesday, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said deputies arrested 19 people, served six search warrants, seized more than two kilograms or 4.4 pounds of cocaine, six ounces of fentanyl, 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine, and numerous fake Oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl and fake Adderall pills that contained methamphetamine. A pill press, an AK-47, a rifle, seven handguns, including one that was stolen, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition and $14,000 in cash was also seized during the operation. 

The backstory:

According to PCSO, the investigation began in August 2024 when Sophia Cubero, who lived in Clearwater, was selling cocaine with her boyfriend at the time, Alejandro DeLeon and an undercover PCSO detective said he bought an 8-ball or 3.5 grams of cocaine from the couple. 

The detective said that, based on his conversation with Cubero, it was evident that she could supply a lot more cocaine and could give the undercover detective large quantities of methamphetamine. 

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Cubero told the detective she sold ounces of cocaine for about $1100 and ounces of methamphetamine for about $250. 

Between August 2024 and April 2025, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said detectives made numerous undercover purchases of cocaine and methamphetamine from Cubero and DeLeon. 

Full news conference: Several arrests in large-scale drug operation in Pinellas County

Full news conference: Several arrests in large-scale drug operation in Pinellas County

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri gives an update on ‘Operation Snow Storm’, which landed 19 people behind bars and led to deputies seizing drugs, guns and cash from drug trafficking organization that had been operating for years.

Dig deeper:

While investigating, detectives identified Ali Ateia as one of Cubero’s sources of supply for the cocaine. They also learned that Ali Atia was working with his brothers to make fake Oxycodone pills using fentanyl and Adderall. 

The sheriff said fake Adderall is made with methamphetamine and fake Oxycontin is made with fentanyl. 

Gualtieri said Cubero was also buying cocaine from Kevin Muthe. 

"What was becoming evident was that Ali Atia and Ahmed Ateia were a part of this Atia family drug distribution," the sheriff stated. 

The base of the operation, according to the sheriff, was at an apartment off Drew Street in Clearwater. 

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In December 2024, undercover detectives began buying fake Oxycodone pills from Cubero, which deputies said she was getting from Ali Ateia. 

According to Gualtieri, Cubero initially sold the pills for $20 apiece.  But as the number of pills the undercover detective bought increased, the price decreased to about $9 a pill.

Cubero was also selling straight methamphetamine to the undercover detectives, according to the sheriff. 

Gualtieri estimates that the Ateia family, including the brothers’ parents, was selling kilos of cocaine, pounds of methamphetamine, fake Oxycodone that was really fentanyl and fake Adderall that was really methamphetamine. He said they were selling between 6,000-10,000 pills a month. 

What they're saying:

"The Ateia family sold their drugs to various mid-level drug traffickers who would sell them to others, including our undercover detectives," Gualtieri said. 

The sheriff added, "Undercover detectives made about 20 purchases of drugs from the Ateia organization between August 2024 and April 2025. Detectives purchased about one pound of cocaine, about 2200 pills of fake Oxycodone and Adderall pills that contained fentanyl and methamphetamine. We arrested 19 people on Monday and Tuesday on 113 different drug charges ranging from armed drug trafficking to simple possession of the drugs."

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According to the sheriff, many of the people arrested are facing the minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years in prison and except for the Ateia parents, all of those arrested have extensive criminal histories. 

The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office during a press conference on Wednesday. 

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