Drugs, Cash, Cars, Pablo Escobar Art: Massive Raid Seizes $1M, Busts 13 Across State: DA

Police carried out 19 raids across the state Thursday morning, April 13, and hauled in an amount of drugs and cash that would have made Pablo Escobar proud, authorities said. That's probably why officers found a painting of the former drug kingpin in one of the searches, authorities said.

Police show off some of the drugs they seized in a massively coordinated raid on Thursday on multiple homes across the state. Officers found nearly a million dollars worth of drugs, luxury cars, jewelry, and cash, authorities said.
Photo Credit: *Middlesex District Attorney's Office*

Josh Lanier

04/13/2023 4:15 p.m.

Though, like their hero Escobar, 13 people involved in the drug trade found themselves in jail, authorities said.

During the searches, investigators found —

40 pounds of amphetamine
15 pounds of methamphetamine
6 kilograms of fentanyl
2 kilograms of cocaine,
15,000 press pills that had fentanyl and meth
$100,000 in cash
More than $200,000 in jewelry
13 "high-value vehicles" — including a Mercedes Benz SDN, Mercedes Benz SW, Range Rover, Toyota Supra, BMW X6, and BMW i8
One oil painting of Pablo Escobar

The drugs, cash, and jewels were valued at $800,000 to $1 million, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said in a press conference.

The raids came after two years of investigations that stretched across Massachusetts and involved police in Framingham, Peabody, Worcester, Ashland, Lawrence, Northbridge, Woburn, and North Smithfield, Rhode Island.

Police arrested the following individuals, and Ryan said she expects to have them arraigned on Friday.

Sandy Marte-Caraballo, 34, of Woburn – Trafficking Fentanyl, Trafficking Cocaine, Trafficking Methamphetamine, Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws.
Osny De La Cruz, 25, of Lawrence – Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws, Trafficking in Fentanyl over 10 grams, Trafficking in Cocaine over 200 grams, Trafficking in Class B amphetamines over 200 grams, and Trafficking in Class B methamphetamines over 200 grams.
Santos Martes, 31, of Peabody – Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws and Trafficking Cocaine over 200 grams.
Bryan Mendez, 28, of Worcester – Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws and Trafficking Cocaine over 200 grams.
Angel Battiata, 27 – Trafficking of a Class B Controlled Substance.
Roberto Castro, 34, of Worcester – Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws
Joshua Fontaine, 30, of Worcester – Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws, Trafficking in Cocaine over 36 grams, Trafficking in Methamphetamine over 36 grams.
Charles Johnston, 62, of Ashland, and Crystal Trauterman, 40, of Ashland – Possession with intent to distribute Class B Controlled Substance (cocaine) and Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws.
Maia Masso, 28, of Framingham – Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws and Trafficking in Cocaine over 36 grams.
Cameron Trudell, 32, of Northbridge – Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws.
Efrain Urena, 32, of Lawrence - Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws and Trafficking Cocaine over 200 grams.
Ana Caraballo, 56, of Worcester - Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws and Trafficking Cocaine over 200 grams.

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