FBI seizes greater than 200 kilos of medication in North Shore bust, together with fentanyl meant to seem like sweet hearts

An FBI raid on the North Shore final week led to “one of many largest single location seizures of fentanyl” and different medication in Massachusetts historical past, in addition to the arrest of the alleged “ringleader” of a drug trafficking ring, Massachusetts U.S. Legal professional Joshua Levy introduced Monday.

Emilio Garcia, a 25-year-old who’s believed to be the chief of the drug trafficking group, 33-year-old Sebastien Bejin, and 40-year-old Deiby Felix are dealing with federal drug costs in reference to the raid, the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace mentioned in a press launch. All three are Lynn residents. 

“The numbers you’re about to listen to are staggering,” the united statesAttorney mentioned throughout a press convention. 

On Nov. 1, the FBI executed a search warrant at a two-family dwelling in Lynn and three different areas, Particular Agent Jodi Cohen mentioned throughout the convention. Throughout the searches, the FBI allegedly seized almost 230 kilos of suspected medication. 

The seizure allegedly included a whole bunch of hundreds of counterfeit Percocet and Adderall tablets which truly contained fentanyl and meth, in addition to almost 40 kilos of uncooked meth, Levy mentioned. Altogether, he mentioned, the seized medication embody extra doses than there are individuals in Massachusetts. They’re estimated to be price about $8 million on the road.

Among the many medication, the FBI allegedly discovered over 20 kilos of fentanyl tablets made to seem like pink Valentine’s Day dialog coronary heart candies, Cohen mentioned. 

“It’s one other instance of a possible bait and change that may simply show deadly to our younger individuals,” she mentioned. “Tablets or sweet that include these medication, whether or not it’s fentanyl or meth, are sometimes intentionally made to seem like one thing … a purchaser might imagine is secure.” 

Levy additionally highlighted that the drug ring was allegedly working within the basement of the Lynn dwelling, which housed young children. Moreover, the FBI recovered 5 weapons and $50,000 in money throughout the raid, Cohen mentioned. 

The investigation into the drug ring started in July 2023 after a person, who was not recognized, died of an opioid overdose in Salem, Levy mentioned. State and native police tried to determine the place the person had gotten his drug provide from, and ultimately, their investigation coincided with a federal investigation.

Legislation enforcement performed surveillance for 3 months, and found that, every day, Garcia and Bejin would allegedly carry medication from one stash location to a different to produce “lower-level sellers,” the U.S. Legal professional’s workplace mentioned within the launch. Certainly one of these different areas was allegedly Felix’s dwelling on Western Avenue in Lynn.

Garcia, Bejin, and Felix are set to be arraigned Nov. 13 in federal courtroom, the U.S. Legal professional mentioned. For every depend, the defendants might resist 20 years in jail and a nice of as much as $250,000. 

The three males are additionally dealing with costs on the state degree, Levy mentioned, and the investigation into the drug ring is ongoing.

“Immediately’s announcement is … one, a warning to the general public. We’ve got a ton of faux medication on the market. Now we have now fentanyl that appears like sweet circling our communities. You can’t be vigilant sufficient in defending your family members,” he mentioned. “And second, it’s a warning to the people who find themselves peddling this poison. Legislation enforcement is unified in its efforts to do no matter it takes to get these lethal medication off the streets.”