Lynn drug bust nets 20 arrests

LYNN – Lynn Police and Massachusetts State Police arrested and charged 20 individuals with drug crimes Tuesday, culminating a two-month undercover operation dubbed “Operation Winter Blizzard.””As a result of Operation Winter Blizzard, 30 dealers have been targeted with 20 arrests to date,” Lynn Police Lt. Rick Donnelly said in a press release Tuesday. “Though the primary target of the operation has been street-level heroin dealers, it is hoped that heroin users will be affected as well.”Police described Winter Blizzard as a two-month operation in which undercover officers made buys of heroin and/or cocaine from street-level dealers in Lynn. Police identified goals of the operation as reducing the supply of heroin in hopes to prevent overdoses and also hopefully prevent property crimes committed by users seeking to support their habit.The number of heroin overdoses increased 81 percent in 2013 compared with 2012, according to Lynn Police statistics. Police recorded 94 heroin overdoses in 2012 and 170 in 2013. The number of heroin overdoses increased 30 percent the year before. Police recorded 64 overdoses in 2010.Police made most of the arrests around midday Tuesday. Individuals were charged both with new offenses and on warrants, and specific offenses included possession; possession with intent to distribute; and conspiracy to violate drug laws.Most of those charged are expected to be arraigned in Lynn District Court within the next few days, and the proceedings should provide additional information on the effort.