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The Camden County Prosecutor's Narcotics Task Force, with the help of multiple other agencies, successfully broke up the pill mill in Camden, following a six-month investigation, they said.
The alleged pill mill spanned two City of Camden locations, accofding to Mayer: One is located on the 1100 block of S. Merrimac Road and the other on the 2900 block of N. 36th Street, according to Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer.
This operation was a collaboration between the CCPO Narcotics Task Force, New Jersey State Police Trafficking South Unit, New Jersey State Police Hazardous Material Response Unit, and police departments in Cherry Hill and Pennsauken, Mayer said.
During a warranted search, detectives and police officers seized approximately 3.5 kilograms of suspected fentanyl, plus suspected crack cocaine and powder cocaine from both properties, the prosecutor said.
Officers also reportedly seized two hydraulic pill presses, over five pounds of cutting agents, and more than 8,300 pills, Mayer said.
The market price of each pill is $15-$30, authorities estimated, bringing the total stash to as much as $25,000 on the street.
Law enforcement also seized two handguns with extended magazines and one long gun with a silencer.
Both handguns were ghost guns – guns with no traceable serial number.
Lastly, officers seized more than $20,000 in cash from the two locations, Mayer said.
Detectives obtained and executed a search warrant at a Pennsauken storage facility as part of this investigation and seized four other handguns from that location, a compact AK-47, and additional pill-making material consistent with manufacturing fentanyl pills, the prosecutor said.
Two men allegedly involved in the operation were apprehended. They are both charged with first-degree maintaining a drug manufacturing facility and related weapons offenses, authorities said.
Maintaining a drug manufacturing facility carries a NJ state prison sentence of up to 20 years.
“Any time we’re able to get fentanyl off the streets, it’s a major victory, not just for our office, but for our community,” Mayer said on Friday in a press statement. “Thank you to our detectives and our partners in this case whose tireless efforts over the past six months resulted in yet another large quantity of potentially deadly drugs being removed from the streets and two more ghost guns seized.”
This investigation remains active.
Recently, 66.3 kilos of fentanyl were seized from a home in Pennsauken Township. The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office was part of that joint investigation.
Authorities did not say if the earlier fentanyl raid was related to the Camden busts.
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