LYNN — Last week’s FBI raid at a home on Broadway and three other locations around the city was one of the largest drug seizures in the history of the Commonwealth, according to acting United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Joshua Levy.
Levy said at a press conference on Monday that the FBI seized around 100 kilograms, or about 220 pounds, of suspected controlled substances from the home on Nov. 1, a number Levy called “staggering.”
Three men – Emilio Garcia, who Levy said was the “alleged ringleader,” Sebastien Bejin, who Levy said was Garcia’s lieutenant, and Deiby Felix – have been federally charged for participating in a “very significant drug trafficking operation.”
Garcia and Bejin were both charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, along with state charges.
Felix was charged with one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, along with state charges.
“We believe this crew’s constant churn of drug transactions has kept the Bay State awash in dangerous and deadly narcotics,” Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Jodi Cohen said in a statement.
Levy said authorities seized approximately 17.6 kilograms of raw methamphetamine, 28 kilograms of counterfeit Percocet pills containing fentanyl, 27 kilograms of counterfeit Adderall, and 1.8 kilograms of a substance containing fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Multiple firearms were also seized in the raid.
“If you’re adding up those numbers,” Levy said. “There are more doses seized in this one house in Lynn than there are people in Massachusetts.”
Levy said 9.2 kilograms of fentanyl designed to look like candy were also seized in the home, where he said children were living on the first and second floors with the drug activity in the basement.
Levy explained that the investigation started in July after an overdose death in Salem traced back to the three individuals arrested. Levy credited the collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement for their work on the investigation, which he said is still ongoing.
“Great police work rarely makes great headlines, but it does save lives,” Levy said. “We’re taking deadly narcotics off the street.”
Levy said the announcement served as a warning not only to criminals but to the public to be vigilant of the dangers fake drugs pose in the community.
“This is not going to eradicate the problem,” Levy said.
Lynn Police Chief Chris Reddy said in the press conference that the seizure’s impacts will be felt well beyond the city of Lynn.
“A seizure of this nature is going to have a positive effect well beyond that neighborhood throughout certainly Lynn and the surrounding communities,” Reddy said. “Our city, like many cities, has been devastated by the opioid epidemic…We lose people every day to this problem.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray also praised the work law enforcement in the area did to keep dangerous drugs out of the community.
“This seizure by the FBI’s North Shore Gang Task Force saved lives in communities throughout Massachusetts,” Wray said in a statement. “Not only was this seizure one of the largest in the history of Massachusetts, but some of the pills were created to look like candy, potentially presenting an enormous risk to children.”
Levy said the three men are due to appear in federal court next week.
