Cash, jewelry, cars, guns and drugs with a value in excess of $1 million were seized as part of a massive drug bust spanning multiple Massachusetts communities, authorities announced at a press conference Thursday afternoon.
As a result of the 2-year investigation, 15,000 pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine were seized, along with large quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and amphetamines, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan. Some of the fentanyl and pills seized were cut with xylazine. Also seized was one illegal firearm, three loaded magazines, over $100,000 in cash, over $200,000 in jewelry, 13 "high-value vehicles" estimated at between $800,000 and $1 million in value and a painting of Pablo Escobar.
In all, Ryan and Framingham Police Chief Lester Baker said 13 people were arrested Thursday and most of them are expected to be arraigned Friday in Lowell District Court. Those arrested include:
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- Sandy Marte-Caraballo, 34, of Woburn, for trafficking fentanyl, trafficking cocaine, trafficking methamphetamine and conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Osny De La Cruz, 25, of Lawrence, for conspiracy to violate the drug laws, trafficking in fentanyl over 10 grams, trafficking in cocaine over 200 grams, trafficking in Class B amphetamines over 200 grams, and trafficking in Class B methamphetamines over 200 grams
- Santos Martes, 31, of Peabody, for conspiracy to violate the drug laws and trafficking cocaine over 200 grams
- Bryan Mendez, 28, of Worcester, for conspiracy to violate the drug laws and trafficking cocaine over 200 grams
- Angel Battiata, 27, unknown address, for trafficking of a Class B controlled substance
- Roberto Castro, 34, of Worcester, for conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Joshua Fontaine, 30, of Worcester, for conspiracy to violate the drug laws, trafficking in cocaine over 36 grams, trafficking in methamphetamine over 36 grams
- Charles Johnston, 62, of Ashland, and Crystal Trauterman, 40, of Ashland, for possession with intent to distribute Class B controlled substance (cocaine) and conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Maia Masso, 28, of Framingham, for conspiracy to violate the drug laws and trafficking in cocaine over 36 grams
- Cameron Trudell, 32, of Northbridge, for conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Efrain Urena, 32, of Lawrence, for conspiracy to violate the drug laws and trafficking cocaine over 200 grams
- Ana Caraballo, 56, of Worcester, for conspiracy to violate the drug laws and trafficking cocaine over 200 grams
Additional charges are still possible, as the investigation is ongoing and evidence is still being processed.
The investigation began in Framingham when local police and the MetroWest Drug Task Force identified drug dealers as a result of on-street buys they were making. Ryan said the drug ring operated out of Woburn, facilitating the supply, manufacturing and distribution of drugs to all levels throughout Middlesex County and elsewhere. A wire tap investigation that began in February helped identify that the drugs were coming from Worcester and Essex counties, with the supply originating in the New York-New Jersey metro area. Nineteen search warrants were executed Thursday morning in Framingham, Peabody, Worcester, Ashland, Lawrence, Northbridge, Woburn and North Smithfield, Rhode Island.
One member of the operation boasted that he was making approximately $2 million a year moving drugs, and Ryan estimated that in general those involved were making between $5,000 and $6,000 a day.
"This represents over two years of work, an enormous amount of investigation, constant monitoring of a wiretap from February until this week," she said. "It's an enormous investment of resources by our office and law enforcement, all in an effort to remove this product from the street."
Ryan said the xylazine in particular presents a "terrible danger," noting that deaths from the drug doubled in the Northeast in 2022.
Sometimes called "tranq," the veterinary tranquilizer was declared an "emerging threat" by the Biden administration earlier this week. The Office of National Drug Control Policy announced the designation Wednesday, the first time the office has used it since the category for fast-growing drug dangers was created in 2019.
"There is no question that this product on the street would have resulted in people losing their life," Ryan said. "That is the driving force behind these investigations -- getting this product off the street before somebody dies from it."
