TEWKSBURY — Police Chief Ryan M. Columbus reports that the Tewksbury Police Department collaborated with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Massachusetts State Police to seize approximately 400 grams of the deadly opioid fentanyl in a room at a local motel.
On Thursday afternoon, Tewksbury Police, state police and the DEA executed a search warrant at Motel 6 on Main Street in Tewksbury, seizing approximately 400 grams of fentanyl. The search warrant was obtained following a lengthy joint investigation by members of all three agencies.
The suspects believed to have been in control of the motel room where the drugs were found were not present when the search warrant was served. Tewksbury Police are working in conjunction with state police and the DEA to locate those individuals.
No further information on the investigation is available at this time.
“The amount of fentanyl we were able to secure during this search is alarming and highlights the scale of the opioid epidemic our entire community continues to face,” said Chief Columbus. “In the last week we have had two fatal overdoses in Tewksbury.”
In November, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that estimated overdose deaths in the United States surpassed 100,000 in a 12-month period for the first time ever. The CDC attributed the increase in deaths — a 28.5% increase from the previous 12 months — in part to increasing use of fentanyl.
“The continued increase in overdose deaths and availability of drugs like fentanyl are why the Tewksbury Police Department believes in using an all of the above approach to combating this epidemic,” Chief Columbus said. “I’d like to thank our partners at the Massachusetts State Police and Drug Enforcement Administration for helping us to reduce the supply and hold those who profit from substance use disorder accountable, while also reminding the community that we are committed to serving as a resource for those seeking treatment.”
The Tewksbury Police Department urges anyone who suspects criminal activity to call the Dispatch Center at 978-851-7373. If you wish to remain anonymous, please call the Tip Line at 978-851-0175 or send an email to tewks_detectives@tewksbury-ma.gov.