DADE NARCOTICS DETECTIVE ACCUSED OF AIDING DRUG RING

A Miami-Dade County narcotics detective was arrested Tuesday and accused of
assisting an organization that distributes cocaine and grows marijuana.

The officer, Abraham Herrera, 37, has been a member of the county police
since 1986.

Herrera has been assigned to the narcotics bureau for about five to seven
years, said Rudy Espinosa, a county police spokesman. County police began
investigating Herrera in June, he said. The case later was joined by
federal and state investigators.

The written announcement by county police said Herrera ``was assisting the
organization and warning members against police detection.'' It did not say
how he did that or how long it had been going on.

The only other person named in Tuesday's report was Alberto Soler, 36, of
4741 NW Fifth St. He was charged with conspiracy to possess cocaine and
marijuana with the intent to distribute, the same charges made against the
detective.

The police report gave no indication of the scope of the organization, but
said it included a sophisticated marijuana farming operation at 230 E. 62nd
St., a residential address in Hialeah.