MIAMI, Fla. (WFLA) — A Miami-Dade sheriff’s deputy was arrested Friday after he was reportedly caught trying to smuggle drugs onto a cruise ship by hiding the pills in Skittles bags.

Francisco Melo, 36, had been a Miami-Dade deputy for the past six years, according to reports by NBC 6 South Florida. However, he found himself behind bars Friday morning.

The sheriff’s office said Melo was relieved of duty following his arrest. According to arrest reports, Melo was taken into custody at the Royal Caribbean terminal in PortMiami.

Investigators said Melo was just about to board Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, which had been privately chartered and was hosting a four-day music festival, when he was stopped and searched.

Detectives said they had obtained information indicating that Melo planned to smuggle methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA, pills on board. The drug is also commonly known as ecstasy or molly.

A search of Melo’s luggage revealed 60 pills hidden inside Skittles candy bags, investigators reported. A confidential informant had reportedly purchased the same kind of pills from Melo in December last year.

Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz expressed her disappointment in the deputy in a statement provided to NBC 6, saying in part, “Narcotics don’t just harm those who use them, they devastate families, and fuel crime. No one is above the law, and this office will not tolerate criminal behavior from anyone, especially those entrusted to enforce it. The actions of this individual are a betrayal of the public trust and of all the deputies who work tirelessly to protect our community. We will cooperate fully with the state attorney’s office throughout the legal process.”

Melo was charged with possession, sale and trafficking of a controlled substance. As of Friday, he was being held in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center with a $25,000 bond.