13 Arrested For Shipping Stuffed Animals Filled With Opioids Across Country To Montgomery County, Authorities Say
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) – Officials announced on Tuesday a big cross-country drug bust as more than a dozen people are accused of shipping opioids in stuffed animals to Montgomery County. The district attorney's office says the suspects used stuffed animals to try to hide hundreds of Oxycodone pills.
Police arrested 13 individuals linked to a multi-state drug trafficking organization, and are still looking for three more suspects. The dismantling of the organization included the arrest of its leader, 29-year-old Amir Green, of Ardmore.
The Montgomery County DA's Office said Green led the drug trafficking organization since at least December 2018 with the help of his 24-year-old girlfriend, Kadesah Wright, of Philadelphia, and his 19-year-old brother Cory Scott, of Ardmore, and 28-year-old Willie Webster.
According to investigators, the drugs were mailed from California to apartments in several different Montgomery County communities.
The drugs were hidden inside teddy bear and bunny rabbit stuffed animals.
The group was also involved in dealing illegal firearm sales, marijuana, THC cartridges and fentanyl.
"Through diligence and dogged pursuit by the Special Investigations Unit of the Upper Merion Police Department and their collaborative efforts with multiple other agencies, the criminal activities of this group were discovered," Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said. "This corrupt organization headed by Green was responsible for putting thousands of Oxycodone polls, opioids, onto the streets of Montgomery County since 2018, thereby fueling the opioid-heroin-fentanyl crisis we are experiencing, especially considering that many people become addicted first through a legitimate opioid or Oxy prescription, then move on to buying Oxycodone pills on the street before moving to heroin."
Others charged include 22-year-old Julie Arthin, of Newtown Square; 36-year-old Sheena Byrd and 31-year-old Dustin Gilmour, both of Wayne; 29-year-old Juanna Taylor, of King of Prussia; 49-year-old Anthony Pollitt, of Bryn Mawr; and 26-year-old Farid Brown, 32-year-old Theodore Gaines, 31-year-old Michael Gaffney and 30-year-old Robert Thorne, all of Philadelphia.
Warrants have been issued for 43-year-old Promise Hardnett, 33-year-old Jamil King, and 22-year-old Tylil Lilly, all of Philadelphia.
Anyone with information on their whereabouts is asked to contact Montgomery County Detective Bureau at 610-278-3368.