In a major crackdown, a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has indicted seven Connecticut residents in what’s being called the largest counterfeit drug operation ever uncovered in the U.S.
The accused include Kelldon Hinton, 45, Heshima Harris, 53, Emanuel Payton, 33, Marvin Ogman, 47, Shawn Stephens, 34, Arnaldo Echevarria, 42, and Cheryle Tyson, 64, hailing from New Haven, West Haven, and Waterbury.
Authorities say Hinton ran the operation from an East Haven garage, using a pill press to churn out fake oxycodone, Xanax, and Adderall laced with dangerous drugs like methamphetamine and fentanyl.
More than 200,000 counterfeit pills were seized in the raid, along with drug-making equipment.
The defendants are charged with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute narcotics. Hinton could face life in prison if convicted.
“This case marks one of the DEA’s largest fake pill seizures in New England,” noted acting DEA Special Agent Stephen Belleau, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to holding drug traffickers accountable.
Law enforcement partners at all levels contributed to the investigation, signaling a united front against this deadly trade.
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