This week, the FBI arrested three men in Massachusetts who were allegedly in possession of over 220 pounds of suspected controlled substances, including fentanyl shaped like Valentine’s Day heart-shaped candy.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, an estimated 10 million doses of controlled substances were seized, believed to be one of the largest single-location seizures in New England. This included eight million doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder. The total street value of the drugs seized is approximately $8 million (via DOJ):
Emilio Garcia, also known as 6, 25, of Lynn, Massachusetts, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute; Sebastien Bejin, also known as Bash, 33, of Lynn, Massachusetts, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute; and Deiby Felix, 40, of Lynn, Massachusetts, was charged with one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. The defendants will appear in U.S. District Court on Nov. 13.
According to the charging documents, in July 2023, an investigation into an overdose death in Salem, Massachusetts, led investigators to a DTO allegedly led by Garcia, Bejin, and Felix. The defendants were surveilled for three months, which culminated in search warrants at locations identified in the investigation, and their arrests on Wednesday, Nov. 1.
Over 220 pounds of drugs, including fentanyl shaped like Valentine's Day candy, seized in Lynn https://t.co/SgTdKi80lz
— WBZ | CBS News Boston (@wbz) November 6, 2023
The drugs were seized from the basement of a two-family residential home “that was occupied by multiple families and small children,” the DOJ noted.
“The only thing more depraved than trafficking deadly fentanyl is trafficking deadly fentanyl designed to look like candy to appeal to teenagers,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “The Justice Department is focused on attacking every link in the global fentanyl trafficking chain, and we will not stop until those responsible for the fentanyl poisoning epidemic are brought to justice. We also continue to urge families to have open and honest conversations about the urgent threat posed by this epidemic, and the fact that just one pill can kill.”
“Not only was this seizure one of the largest in the history of Massachusetts, but some of the pills were created to look like candy, potentially presenting an enormous risk to children,” FBI Director Christopher Wray added.
“The doses of controlled substances seized in this case exceed the number of residents in Massachusetts,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts explained. “The fact that we now are seeing fentanyl-laced pills pressed to resemble candy only underscores the urgency of this fentanyl crisis.”
Previously, Townhall reported how Mexican drug cartels were behind the spike in “rainbow” fentanyl targeted at children.