Miami Police Officer Arrested After Attempting to Smuggle MDMA Aboard Groove Cruise Festival

As festival-goers prepared to set sail for Groove Cruise in late-January, authorities arrested a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Deputy for allegedly possessing, selling and trafficking drugs, WSVN 7News reports.

Law enforcement officials say they learned Francisco Melo had plans to distribute MDMA during the four-day festival aboard Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas. According to an arrest warrant, investigators used a confidential informant to purchase MDMA from Melo prior to his arrest. 

The undercover officer revealed that Melo intended to bring his illicit inventory onto the ship in a Skittles packet, disguising the drugs as candy to evade detection. Detectives reportedly arrested him at PortMiami, where they discovered 60 MDMA pills in his luggage.

Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz condemned Melo’s actions.

“Narcotics don’t just harm those who use them, they devastate families, and fuel crime,” Cordero-Stutz said in a statement. “The actions of this individual are a betrayal of the public trust and of all the deputies who work tirelessly to protect our community.”

Groove Cruise, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, has become a staple of the electronic dance music festival scene. The event’s 2025 edition took place January 23-27 and featured headlining performances by Eric Prydz, Seven Lions, James Hype, MEDUZA and Nicole Moudaber.