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Massachusetts' Growing Crystal Meth Addiction - Weekend Drug Bust Fits Alarming Trend

Local and state police made a major drug bust that allegedly included the seizure of more than 75 grams of crystal meth, a highly addictive narcotic that appears to be growing in popularity here.

A book on how to cook meth allegedly discovered at a Holyoke home on March 5

A book on how to cook meth allegedly discovered at a Holyoke home on March 5

 Photo Credit: MSP
Narcotics and items allegedly seized during the execution of search warrant on March 5

Narcotics and items allegedly seized during the execution of search warrant on March 5

 Photo Credit: MSP
Crystal meth allegedly seized by police on March 5

Crystal meth allegedly seized by police on March 5

 Photo Credit: MSP
Kristin Palpini

On Friday, March 5, Massachusetts State Police, Holyoke Police, and members of the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a West Glen Street residence in Holyoke, State Police said.

During the search, law enforcement officials allegedly found 

  • 76 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 
  • 13 grams of fentanyl, 
  • 14 grams of crack cocaine, 
  • various illicit prescription narcotics, 
  • and about $2,000 in cash, police said.

Inside the home, police also allegedly found a kind of guidebook on how to cook meth.

Police arrested one of the home’s residents Mark Cameron, 49, and charged him with:

  • Trafficking in methamphetamine over 36 grams,
  • Trafficking in fentanyl over 10 grams,
  • Possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute,
  • Possession of crack cocaine,
  • Possession of a Class E narcotic (prescription pills) with intent to distribute, and
  • Possession of a Class E narcotic (prescription pills), police said.

Police also arrested another of the home’s residents, Jose Rodriguez, 45, and charged him with possession of crack cocaine and possession of a Class E narcotic (prescription pills), police said.

The bust was the result of a months’ long investigation into suspected trafficking of crystal meth in Holyoke.

State Police said crystal meth “remains relatively uncommon in New England,” but a 2019 Patriot Ledger article notices meth increasingly “popping up on to local law enforcement radars.” That summer, the Boston Globe announced that "Meth has taken hold in Massachusetts." A WBUR report in 2018 recounts the rising use of meth in Boston. Two summers ago,

More recently, during a late-January drug bust in Greenfield, police allegedly discovered 10 grams of meth on the people arrested. 

In October 2020, a Connecticut man was sentenced to 32 months in prison for his part in a large-scale meth-dealing operation.

While data wasn’t readily available on personal meth use, Massachusetts and Connecticut still remain among the states with the lowest concentration of methamphetamine manufacturing.

As meth creeps into Massachusetts, it is unclear how the state will address the narcotics' increased presence.

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