FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — At Massachusetts State Police Headquarters in Framingham, law enforcement officials laid out the results of a series of recent drug arrests: 6.5 kg of fentanyl, bags of pills suspected to be oxycodone, a gun and $13,600 in cash.
“This, literally, in front of me, represents death,” said Mass State Police Col. Christopher Mason.
Between Thursday, August 27 and Saturday, August 29, Mass State Police Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Teams (CINRET) disrupted two large, well-organized drug trafficking networks based in Merrimack Valley with links to Fall River.
Five people are under arrest. But a sixth suspect, 30-year-old Anthony Levine is at large. Levine, as a suspected drug supplier in Methuen, is a target of the investigation.
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He managed to elude police while they were waiting for warrants. State Police said he was wearing a monitoring bracelet, but the device no longer works.
A warrant is now issued for his arrest.
At the late morning news conference also attended by the Chiefs of Police of Brockton and East Bridgewater, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge David Magdycz said just one grain of fentanyl can be fatal.
He added that the series of busts helped put a dent in the trade of illegal drugs in New England.
“When you take their drugs and their money, that’s what it’s all about. The majority of time, it’s about the money. And that’s where you can hit them the hardest. But when you take 6.5 kilos off the street, that is a major impact for an organization like that,” Magdycz said.