A 36-year-old Chinese national on a work visa was arrested on Tuesday, February 10, for possession with intent to sell ketamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Ting Zheng, a Chinese citizen, was charged after a months-long narcotics investigation by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office led to the discovery of almost 12 pounds of ketamine hidden in hollowed-out large candles at his residence on Tiburon Avenue in Spring Hill.
The investigation began with a tip that an individual at Zheng’s residence was receiving a large quantity of ketamine hydrochloride through the mail from outside of the United States. Detectives with the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office’s Vice and Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant at Zheng’s residence, where they found 20 large wax candles containing the ketamine. The estimated street value of the ketamine was $100,000. Zheng was transported to the Hernando County Detention Center, where his bond was set at $17,500. Due to the nature of the charges, contact was made with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is monitoring Zheng’s case for potential immigration enforcement action.
The house in which Zheng was living is owned by Tingting and Mei Juan Lin, who purchased the property in 2025, according to Hernando County Property Appraiser’s records. Zheng was believed to have worked at Fujiyama Japanese Steakhouse, and officials believe his work visa was actually out of New York.
Originally reported by Hernando Sun
Sources: Hernando Sun
