Cape Cod Pizza Shop Owner Also Served Up Fentanyl: Feds

BARNSTABLE, MA — A large-scale heroin and fentanyl ring responsible for dealing "kilograms" of drugs on Cape Cod was broken up this week, federal authorities announced Friday. One of the alleged ringleaders is Alex Fraga, a 25-year-old Yarmouthport man who runs Scottie's Pizza in Hyannis, authorities said. He and his brother, Kevin, 24, also of Yarmouthport were arrested and charged with a host of crimes.

"This organization was responsible for distributing kilogram quantities of fentanyl and heroin throughout the Cape Cod area," DEA agent Michael Ferguson said in a statement. "As we all know, fentanyl and heroin are causing deaths across the Commonwealth in record numbers."

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Two other alleged ringleaders were also arrested — Jose Solivan, 40, a Dominican Republic national living in Boston, and James Ramirez, 55, of Boston.

The arrests were the result of a "long-term" undercover investigation, U.S. Attorney William Weinreb announced Friday.

“Large-scale narcotics trafficking in Massachusetts is destroying lives and entire communities,” Weinreb said in a statement." This was an important investigation that led investigators from Boston to Cape Cod and removed suspected deadly fentanyl-laced pills from the streets. Those pills would have put lives at risk."

Ramirez and Sullivan supplied the Fraga brothers with drugs, authorities said. Ramirez drove vehicles with special "hides" to conceal the contraband while delivering it to the Fraga brothers on Cape Cod, authorities said. Fraga hid the drugs at his Yarmouthport residence, in a Winnebago and in a hotel room at the Hyannis Best Western, authorities said.

Agents seized "kilograms" worth of heroin and fentanyl, according to Weinreb. The four alleged ringleaders were charged with crimes including drug distribution and conspiracy.

The arrests are related to other ongoing investigations in Massachusetts and prosecutors asked to withhold wiretap information because it could "jeopardize" those investigations, according to the State House News Service.

Photo credit: Scottie's Pizza