NJ Fentanyl Bust: Enough Doses To Kill An Estimated 2.4 Million

Federal authorities say they stopped a drug operation that was prepared to supply New Jersey with enough drugs to kill 2.4 million – roughly one-third of the state's population.

Two men were arrested this week for their roles in shipping more than 30 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and conspiring to send an additional 5 kilos – or 11 pounds – of fentanyl into New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced Thursday.

The Drug Enforcement Administration says a dosage of 2 milligrams of fentanyl is typically considered lethal.

Isabel Otanez-Sanchez, 25, and Jesus Zavala-Torres, 33, both of San Jacinto, Calif., are charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl, according to a release from Carpenito's office.

Torres appeared Wednesday before a federal magistrate judge in in Riverside, Calif., and Sanchez was scheduled to appear Thursday in federal court in Riverside.

According to the complaint:

In September 2018, law enforcement officers received information that an individual known as “Pancho,” later identified as Sanchez, was shipping large quantities of narcotics from California to New Jersey.

On Jan. 28, Sanchez agreed to send 30 pounds of methamphetamine to a law enforcement confidential source in Atlantic City. Torres and Sanchez hid 28 packages of methamphetamine inside a salvaged vehicle that was shipped to New Jersey from California via a car carrier service.

Agents recovered the methamphetamine from the car’s gas tank, according to the release.

On Feb. 12, 2019, the source met with Sanchez and Torres in Riverside to pay for the methamphetamine. At this meeting, Sanchez and Torres also agreed to sell an additional five kilos of fentanyl to the the source, which would be shipped to New Jersey in the same manner as the methamphetamine, according to the release.

After agreeing to the sale, Torres left the meeting to retrieve two kilos of fentanyl to show to the source prior to shipment. As Torres was driving back to the meeting, he was stopped by local law enforcement officers and 2 kilos of fentanyl were recovered from his automobile, according to the release.

Both defendants face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine.

Carpenito credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Cherry Hill, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael in Newark, with the investigation leading to the arrests. He also thanked HSI in Riverside; the NJ State Police; the Hemet, California, Police Department; and the Atlantic City Task Force for their assistance.

DEA photo