South Coast Fentanyl Ring Busted: Police

BRIDGEWATER, MA — A Plymouth County fentanyl trafficking operation was busted Tuesday and two people were arrested, Plymouth District Attorney Timothy Cruz announced. Steven Irving, 22, of Hanson, and Saira Perez, 32, of Johnston, Rhode Island, were charged with trafficking fentanyl, a deadly narcotic about 100 times more powerful than heroin.

"Police identified Irving as a large scale distributor of fentanyl within Plymouth County," Cruz said in a statement.

The arrests were the result of a three-month, undercover police investigation. Police said they seized about 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl worth more than $100,000.

Police said on Tuesday at about 1 p.m., Irving was found at the Bridgewater McDonald's with about 150 grams of fentanyl. There was another 300 grams of fentanyl and $15,000 in cash in his Bridgewater residence at 45 Wood Street.

"Irving identified his fentanyl source of supply to police and arranged the delivery of one kilogram of fentanyl to the Wood Street address," Cruz said.

At about 9:15 p.m., Perez drove to Irving's residence with a kilogram of fentanyl and was arrested on the spot.

"Perez delivered the drugs but is not alleged to be the main supplier that Irving identified to police," Cruz said. "That part of the investigation is ongoing."

Irving and Perez were held on $100,000 bail.

It was the second major fentanyl bust in the South Coast region this week:

• South Coast, Boston Heroin Ring: 23 Arrested, Police Say

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