ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg Police have broken up a major fentanyl ring following a nine-month undercover investigation.

St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway made the announcement Thursday, describing how “Operation Cookie Dough” broke up the ring and led to the arrests of two suspects and a warrant for another man.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Deputy Commissioner Vaden Pollard and Pinellas Pasco State Attorney Bruce Bartlett also spoke at the news conference. The operation was funded through the FDLE S.A.F.E. (State Assistance for Fentanyl Eradication) grant.

According to authorities, through the investigation and with assistance from the community, it was determined that David Watson was spearheading a major drug distribution operation in the city of St. Petersburg.

Holloway said Watson wasn’t a street-level dealer, but he was a high-level distributor responsible for trafficking a large amount of fentanyl and other drugs through the community.  

“This is not just another drug arrest,” Holloway said. “With the assistance of the FDLE and the State Attorney’s Office, we were able to dismantle this drug operation and have a huge impact on the health and safety of our residents.”

“Now I also thank Mr. Watson for the cash, because once we get that cleared through our city, we'll be able to take this cash that we received from him and put it to good use instead of what he was using it for, for illegal gain," he said.

On Aug. 7, St. Pete officers executed several search warrants, including at homes on 112th Avenue North and 29th Avenue North.

Police confiscated 10.7 kilos of fentanyl, 10 kilos of cocaine, hundreds of oxycodone pills, 11 pounds of marijuana, guns and $506,000 in cash.

Watson, 36, faces various charges, including being a felon in possession of a firearm, trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in fentanyl, money laundering, and structuring transactions to evade reporting.

“We were able to dismantle a huge drug operation. This is the largest drug bust in the last 20 years in the city of Saint Petersburg," Holloway said.

Kelvin Maysonet, 34, was booked into the Orange County Jail on various St. Petersburg charges including operating a drug house, trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in fentanyl, trafficking in oxycodone, trafficking in amphetamines, and possession of marijuana with intent to sell.

Officials also said they are searching for Alexander Graham, 34, who is facing charges of trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in fentanyl, trafficking in oxycodone, trafficking in methamphetamine, and possession of marijuana with intent to sell.

“By working together, we can keep our communities safer against drug trafficking organizations and the violence and secondary crimes they bring to our neighborhoods,” Pollard said. “SAFE provides the funds to do that and more, and the proof that this program works is right here.”