Multi-Agency Effort Busts Major Heroin Packaging Operation
A large-scale drug packaging operation has been shuttered, vast quantities of suspected heroin and fentanyl have been seized and 11 people are in custody after a multi-agency investigation and search at a residence in Warminster Township.
Police from state, county and local agencies working in tandem with federal authorities executed a search warrant Tuesday evening, Dec. 11, 2018, at the residence located at 669 Cheryl Drive where they discovered the operation.
The drug trafficking organization processed hundreds of thousands of doses of heroin and fentanyl worth an estimated $8 million every week.
An anonymous tip led investigators to the home.
Inside, police found a room containing loose heroin and fentanyl, along with thousands of baggies containing smaller amounts of the same. Also found were cutting agents used to dilute the drugs as well as equipment used in the packaging process at 10 packaging workstations.
Throughout the residence, police found more than 130 pounds of heroin and fentanyl in various locations, bundles of cash totaling about $32,000 wrapped in rubber bands and records indicating the amounts of heroin and fentanyl packaged in the home. A fully-loaded silver Taurus handgun also was recovered.
It is believed the operation was run by Darieal Vasquez, 38, and Moises Rodriguez, 43, both of whom were arraigned before District Judge Michael W. Gallagher on felony drug charges. They each are being held at the Bucks County Correctional Facility in lieu of 10 percent of $10 million bail.
Also charged are Luigi Ortega, 30, Delvin Perez, 36, Roberto Espinal, 46, Jose Luis-Morales, 45, Carlos Garcia-Perez, 33, Eleni Saturrie, 38, Yocasta Maria-Mercedes, 37, Nuris Martinez, 45, and Luis Torres, 31. They were jailed for lack of 10 percent of $5 million bail.
Warminster Township Police, Bucks County Detectives, the FBI, Pennsylvania State Police, the Bucks County Drug Strike Force, the Central Bucks Special Response Team, Montgomery County Detectives and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department all participated in the search and investigation.
Local prosecution will be handled by Assistant District Attorney Megan Stricker.
Contact: James O'Malley, 215.348.6298, jtomalley@buckscounty.org
Created Dec 12, 2018 @ 5:09 PM
