BOSTON (WHDH) - The Drug Enforcement Agency arrested 645 people and seized dozens of kilograms of fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin during a two-week surge operation in New England, officials announced Tuesday.
In an effort to address a recent uptick in drug overdose deaths, the DEA’s New England Field Division says it seized 17.9 kilograms of fentanyl, 7,800 illicit fentanyl pills, 13.9 kilograms of cocaine, 3.1 kilograms of heroin, 51 firearms, and $1.2 million in cash.
“Drug overdoses are the leading cause of injury-related deaths in the United States and every day we see the impact that drug abuse has on our neighborhoods,” the DEA said in a news release. “This crisis is destroying communities throughout New England.”
DEA special agent Brian Boyle said those who were arrested will be held accountable for choosing to distribute poison and profit from the misery they spread.
“Illegal drug distribution ravages the very foundations of our families and communities,” Boyle said. “Every time we take fentanyl off the streets we save lives.”
The DEA did not release the names of those who were arrested.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)