Police seize fentanyl, guns, $16K in cash as part of a major drug bust
By David Collins
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BALTIMORE, Maryland (WBAL) — Baltimore authorities arrested six people and seized a kilogram of fentanyl, guns and $16,127 in cash as part of a major drug bust.
City police said this amount of fentanyl could have had a widespread and significant impact.
“According to the (Drug Enforcement Administration), it could kill approximately 500,000 people,” Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley told 11 News.
Police on Wednesday said the Southwest District Action Team raided houses, one in the 1800 block of west Lombard Street in Southwest Baltimore and another in the 900 block of Dalton Avenue in the Eastpoint neighborhood of Baltimore County, last week. It was all part of a monthlong investigation that focused on the Wilkens Avenue and Dover Street areas of the Carrollton Ridge neighborhood.
“Basically, it started with a community complaint,” Worley told 11 News.
In addition to the fentanyl, police said they seized 1,100 capsules of suspected fentanyl, a rifle, a Polymer80 ghost gun, cash and large quantities of packaging materials.
Police identified six people who were arrested as follows: Eric Taylor, 32 Derrick Stewart, 33 Matthew Brown, 41 Natasha Wilkins, 44 Elijah Dukes, 19 A 17-year-old girl
“They were able to put that case together in a month and take at least six criminals off (the street), and they may not even be done with all of the arrests,” Worley told 11 News.
Residents told 11 News they’re pleased with the bust, but they wonder how long before someone else takes up a similar operation.
“I would just like to see drugs and guns off the streets,” said Alfred Dorsey, of Baltimore. “Mental health is a problem. Drugs, mental health and poverty. It makes it hard.”
Others said the community lacks jobs and hope.
“Nobody wants to be out here, that’s the last resort,” said a Baltimore resident who identified himself as Mr. Baker. “People do what they got to do. There are no jobs, no opportunity for people.”
Since the police drug bust, the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement is responding by providing services from city, state and federal partners. Officials advised anyone who is still linked to, or even loosely connected to the drug operation to seek the resources, to stop selling drugs and put the guns down.
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