New York, NY – A multi-million dollar drug bust has led to the seizure of over 40 pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl hidden within a crowded Manhattan apartment building in the Washington Heights neighborhood. At least one person has been charged following the discovery, authorities say.
Drugs Found Hidden in Apartments
DEA agents uncovered the drugs after conducting a search of three apartments in a building on Wadsworth and Audubon Avenue. The drugs were stashed behind trap doors built into the walls. The seized substances, which included methamphetamine laced with fentanyl, were intended for illicit pill production, officials said.
“The ingredients we seized are enough to manufacture 120,000 fatal pills,” said Frank Tarentino, special agent in charge of the DEA’s New York division.
MDMA Drug Ring Targeting Young People
The drugs were linked to a criminal organization that marketed them as MDMA (ecstasy), targeting young people through online channels. The MDMA sold on the streets has evolved, according to Tarentino, as it is now methamphetamine laced with fentanyl—a combination with deadly consequences.
“This is the calculated, deliberate treachery that these organizations are involved in,” Tarentino said, stressing the importance of educating young people about the dangers of these drugs.
Industrial-Scale Operation
The DEA also found an industrial-scale pill press machine used to create hundreds of thousands of pills for distribution throughout New York City and the Northeast. The total street value of the seized drugs is estimated to be in the millions of dollars.
The bust was a culmination of a three-year investigation, authorities confirmed.
Lethal Doses of Fentanyl in Pills
Officials warned that many of the pills seized contained lethal doses of fentanyl, an opioid that caused nearly 75,000 overdose deaths across the U.S. in 2023.
“The ingredients used for these pills come primarily from China, often routed through Mexico into the United States,” Tarentino explained.
Arrest and Charges
Jose Dario Veras, 38, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine following the bust in Washington Heights.
Despite this major bust, Tarentino warned that when one pill mill is taken down, another operation is usually waiting to take its place.
Conclusion
The Washington Heights drug bust highlights the growing dangers of fentanyl-laced MDMA and methamphetamine, particularly among young people. Authorities continue to crack down on these deadly drug operations, but the fight remains ongoing.
What do you think about the growing presence of fentanyl-laced drugs? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
