On December 4, 2025, Brevard County authorities released details of a large drug and explosives seizure in Palm Bay, Florida, an operation Sheriff Wayne Ivey described as “Breaking Bad on steroids.” The announcement followed a Wednesday briefing in which officials confirmed the arrest of 26 year old Maxwell Horvath and the confiscation of an unusually large amount of illegal substances, weapons, and improvised explosives.
Investigators seized approximately 92,000 pounds, or 46 tons, of material believed to contain 7 hydroxymitragynine, also known as 7 OH, a highly potent kratom derived compound. Authorities estimated the street value at about 4.7 million dollars, calling it possibly the largest seizure of its kind ever made in the United States.
The bust also uncovered a wide ranging weapons cache: five improvised explosive devices, grenade simulators, roughly 50 pounds of explosive precursor chemicals, and dozens of firearms including automatic rifles, pistols, shotguns, short barreled weapons, suppressors, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Officials said the combination of explosives and heavy weaponry turned what began as a drug investigation into a threat capable of causing widespread harm.
The operation grew out of a month long investigation launched in September 2025 by the Brevard County Sheriffs Office in partnership with the DEA, ATF, and Palm Bay Police Department. Undercover agents purchased illegal products and military style weapons from Horvaths business, Overseas Organix or Overseas Organics, which investigators say was used to manufacture and distribute concentrated 7 OH products.
During the raid, agents found industrial processing equipment including tablet compression machines and other production tools, along with partitioned storage and processing rooms designed to extract and refine 7 OH, a substance produced from mitragynine in kratom leaves. While kratom itself remains legal in many states, Florida classified 7 OH as a Schedule I controlled substance under an emergency rule issued in August 2025, citing its high abuse potential and opioid like effects.
Authorities noted that standard drug tests do not typically screen for kratom or 7 OH, making the compound appealing to illicit manufacturers. Medical literature indicates that 7 OH can be many times more potent than morphine in its analgesic effects, which has prompted concern among regulators.
Horvath has a prior federal conviction. In 2017, he served two years in federal prison, followed by probation, for possession of an explosive device and trafficking MDMA. Investigators allege that in the current case he was producing and distributing 7 OH based products nationwide, pressing the substance into pills sold online.
Sheriff Ivey stressed the severity of the operation, calling it “terrorist activity across the board.” Palm Bay Police Chief Mariano Augello highlighted the danger posed by the explosive devices, noting that they were similar to those used by the military. No injuries occurred during the raid, but officials said the discovery prevented a potentially harmful incident in a residential area.
At the time of the announcement, Horvath faced dozens of state firearm charges, including 36 counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and multiple counts involving short barreled rifles and machine guns. Additional explosives related and federal charges are expected as the investigation continues.
Community reaction was swift, with local leaders urging public vigilance, particularly regarding online sales of unregulated drug products. The seizure adds to ongoing statewide concerns about emerging synthetic and semi synthetic substances, as Florida continues to strengthen enforcement actions against concentrated kratom derivatives such as 7 OH.
Horvath is being held without bond as federal agencies review the case. Authorities say the operations dismantling illustrates the dangers posed by industrial scale drug manufacturing in residential communities, and they intend to continue targeting organizations capable of producing high potency substances and weapons at this scale.
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