Leer en espa\u00f1ol<\/a><\/p>\nAccording to the Miami-Dade Sheriff\u2019s Office, 54-year-old Karim Selene Cordova Rivera was arrested Wednesday following an investigation by the agency\u2019s Medical Crimes Squad.<\/p>\n
Investigators said the case began after the Florida Department of Health received an anonymous complaint alleging that a woman identified as \u201cKarim\u201d was practicing dentistry without a license at her home in the 1800 block of Northwest 44th Street in the county\u2019s Brownsville area. <\/p>\n
Authorities said detectives confirmed that neither Cordova Rivera nor anyone else registered at the home was licensed to practice dentistry in Florida.<\/p>\n
As part of the investigation, detectives said they arranged an appointment with Cordova Rivera via text messages for a tooth extraction, which she allegedly quoted at $150 and provided her home address for the procedure.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, two undercover detectives went to the home, and one met with Cordova Rivera for a consultation about extracting a tooth, authorities said. <\/p>\n
They said when Cordova Rivera began \u201ctaking overt actions to treat the undercover operative,\u201d detectives moved in and took her into custody without incident.<\/p>\n
Investigators said they then executed a search warrant at the home and found a functional dental setup inside one of the bedrooms.<\/p>\n
After being read her rights, authorities said Cordova Rivera told detectives that she is a licensed dentist in Peru, but not in the United States. <\/p>\n
She also admitted to purchasing dental supplies such as syringes, gowns and gauze through online retailers, according to her arrest report. <\/p>\n
The report states that Cordova Rivera declined to say where she obtained lidocaine, a controlled substance used to numb patients during dental procedures.<\/p>\n
In that case, she faces one count of practicing dentistry without a license and one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, authorities said.<\/p>\n
During the investigation, detectives said they also conducted three separate \u201ctrash pulls\u201d outside the home and said they discovered biohazardous human waste discarded in city trash receptacles.<\/p>\n
When detectives later searched the home, they reported finding additional biomedical waste associated with previously treated patients. <\/p>\n
Authorities said the home did not contain approved medical waste containers, warning labels or evidence that a licensed company had been used to dispose of the materials.<\/p>\n
In a separate case, Cordova Rivera is also facing charges of violating Florida\u2019s litter law, a hazardous waste violation, nuisances injurious to health and failing to track biomedical waste, jail records show.<\/p>\n
As of Thursday, the Peruvian national was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where her bond was listed as \u201cto be set.\u201d <\/p>\n
\ud83c\udfe0 News From Your Neighborhood<\/p>\n
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