Police Infiltrate Drug Ring, Bust Dealers With $800K Worth Of Fentanyl, Heroin
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) — The cash seized totaled nearly $300,000. The drugs, heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine, have a street value of $800,000.
Then there's something called xylazine.
According to Anne Arundel County Police Seargent, Jacklyn Davis, xylazine "is a large animal tranquilizer used for cows and bears and large mammals. It is not for human consumption."
A heroin task force made up of members from Anne Arundel Police, Annapolis Police, and the Anne Arundel sheriff's office spent eight months conducting an investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating in Anne Arundel County.
Anne Arundel County Police allege the drug ring of 21 people may have been mixing xylazine into heroin and fentanyl to boost profits.
"You can adulterate a kilogram of that mix up to four times with this xylazine," said police chief Timothy Altomare.
Heroin mixed with fentanyl is dangerous enough. It's responsible for most overdose deaths. Police believe the animal tranquilizer increases the risk. "So had these drugs hit the streets, we could have lost a lot of lives," says Davis.
This drug operation was primarily working between Pasadena and Annapolis, while the drugs themselves were stored in Baltimore County. Chief Altomare has a theory as to why.
"I think there was an effort to keep where one lays one's head and where one does dirt on the street away from each other," said Altomare.
Police allege Glen Anthony Davis was the group's leader.
Officers seized 1.74 kilograms of Fentanyl, 332 grams of heroin, 466 grams of cocaine, 159 grams of bath salts, 26.88 grams of U-47700, and 8.86 kilograms of Xylazine.
Besides drugs and money, nine vehicles and four guns were also seized. Anne Arundel County executive, Steve Shuh issued a warning.
"And I have a message to anyone who wants to continue to peddle poison in our community. We will find you, we will arrest you, and we will put you in jail."
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