Law enforcement officials announced last week that they broke up a fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking ring here in Schuylkill County.
The announcement of 5 arrests came at a press conference held at Schuylkill County Courthouse featuring Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who is also running for Governor on the Democrat ticket.
“Increasingly, we’re seeing fentanyl replace heroin as the dominant opioid here in Pennsylvania, because of its low cost – as little as 79 cents a dose,” Shjapiro says in a statement.
Fentanyl and Meth Trafficking Ring Broken Up in Schuylkill County
A total of 5 arrests were announced last week. The drug ring, authorities say, was led by Said Rivera and included associates Christopher Hall, Amanda Tice, Donalea Turolis, and Joseph Weikel.
Rivera, Hall, and Tice are all from Pottsville. Turolis and Weikel live in Port Carbon.
Police believe these 5 were responsible for the sale of more than 1,000 fentanyl pills and 1 pound of meth per week.
During sweeps on properties in Schuylkill County believed to be part of this ring, police say they confiscated the following:
- 368 doses of meth
- 2,300 doses of fentanyl
- 2 bags (about 55 grams) of fentanyl pills
- About 746 bags of fentanyl
- 4 rifles
- 1 pistol
- $8,052 in cash
- Digital scales and packaging materials
A vehicle believed to be used as part of this ring also contained fentanyl, paraphernalia, and ammo, police say.
The investigation into this alleged drug ring was headed up by the Attorney General’s office, the Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, Pottsville Police Dept., and Port Carbon-Palo Alto-Mechanicsville Police Dept.
