Delaware Authorities Seize Enough Fentanyl To Kill 750,000 People In State's Largest Drug Bust
NEWARK, Del. (CBS/AP) - Delaware State Police and the FBI have confiscated more than $5 million worth of heroin, cocaine and fentanyl in what investigators called the largest fentanyl seizure in the state's history. The two-year investigation led to the arrests of more than two dozen suspects, including Luis Renteria, a man accused of leading a Delaware-based drug trafficking organization, the agencies announced Monday.
New Castle County police, Wilmington police and the FBI began investigating the organization in 2018, and a July 2 raid on Renteria's home resulted in most of the drug seizures and arrests, state and federal agents said at a news conference Monday.
Among the drugs seized was enough fentanyl to kill 750,000 people, Delaware State Police Lt. Robert Jones said. Officers also confiscated 20 guns, five cars and more than $264,000 in cash from houses around the state, officials said.
"This investigation exemplifies the shared public safety mission of Delaware law enforcement agencies in concert with our federal partners. While we can see the scope of illegal drugs and weapons seized, it is hard to measure the full gravity this criminal organization could have had in our communities. The team of committed investigators has made our state and region safer today," Delaware State Police Superintendent Colonel Melissa Zebley said.
The following items were seized:
- Approximately 7,519.5 grams of Fentanyl (7.5 Kilos)
- Approximately 4,215.5 grams of Cocaine (4.2 Kilos)
- Approximately 1,114 grams of Crack Cocaine (1.1 Kilos)
- Approximately 537 grams of Heroin (.5 Kilos)
- Approximately 45.3 lbs. of Marijuana
- 14 Doses of LSD
- 288 Xanax Prescription Pills
- 20 Firearms
- Over $260,000 in suspected drug proceeds.
Police also identified stash houses in Philadelphia and accused the network of trafficking drugs into Pennsylvania and Delaware from California and Florida.
Renteria and 27 others were charged with more than 250 felony charges overall, including racketeering, conspiracy to drug dealing, money laundering and firearms counts.
It was unclear whether the suspects had attorneys who could comment for them.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
