Federal officials have dismantled one of the largest counterfeit pill operations in New England history, arresting seven individuals and seizing hundreds of thousands of fake prescription medications.
At a Glance
- Seven individuals arrested in connection with massive counterfeit pill operation in Connecticut
- Seized pills included fake oxycodone, Xanax, and Adderall containing dangerous substances
- One pill press could produce up to 100,000 pills per hour
- Suspects bought materials from China, manufactured pills in a rented garage, and sold them on the dark web
- Investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including DEA and U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Massive Counterfeit Pill Operation Uncovered
Federal law enforcement officials have dealt a significant blow to the illegal drug trade in New England with the dismantling of a major counterfeit pill manufacturing operation in Connecticut. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reported that this bust resulted in one of the largest seizures of fake pills in the region’s history.
The operation, centered in East Haven, Connecticut, was producing counterfeit versions of popular prescription medications such as oxycodone, Xanax, and Adderall. These fake pills contained a dangerous cocktail of substances, including methamphetamine, protonitazene (a synthetic opioid three times more potent than fentanyl), dimethylpentylone, and xylazine.
Seven Arrested in Coordinated Raids
A federal grand jury in Bridgeport indicted seven suspects from New Haven, West Haven, and Waterbury in connection with the operation. The investigation, led by the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, culminated in a series of coordinated raids on September 5th. During these raids, authorities arrested five suspects and searched several locations, uncovering hundreds of thousands of pills and pill manufacturing equipment.
“This investigation reveals the constant challenges that we in law enforcement face in battling the proliferation of synthetic opioids in America,” U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery said in a statement.
The scale of the operation was staggering. One of the pill presses seized during the raid was capable of producing 100,000 pills per hour. This industrial-scale production highlights the severity of the counterfeit drug problem facing law enforcement and public health officials.
International Connections and Dark Web Sales
The investigation revealed that the suspects had purchased substances and pill press parts from China and other international sources. They then manufactured the counterfeit pills in a rented garage in East Haven before selling them on the dark web. Between February 2023 and February 2024, one suspect alone shipped over 1,300 packages through the U.S. mail, demonstrating the operation’s extensive reach.
“These enforcement actions, which included the arrests of seven individuals and the execution of search warrants at six locations, resulted in the disruption of a significant trans-national operation and the dismantling of one of the largest illicit manufacturing sites ever located in Connecticut,” Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division for the Postal Inspection Service, said in a statement.
The primary suspect, Kelldon Hinton of New Haven, has been identified as the mastermind behind the operation. Hinton, who has a criminal record dating back to 1997, now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life imprisonment. The other defendants could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Ongoing Threat to Public Health
This bust comes at a critical time in America’s ongoing battle against the opioid epidemic. Last year, over 107,500 people died of drug overdoses in the United States, contributing to a staggering total of more than 1 million deaths since 1999. The proliferation of counterfeit pills containing potent synthetic opioids like protonitazene only exacerbates this crisis.
“This country is in the midst of a catastrophic overdose epidemic where the threat from synthetic opioids and methamphetamine disguised in fake prescription medication remains high,” Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau, Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, said in a statement.
As the investigation continues, authorities are looking into a recent drug overdose death in Connecticut potentially linked to these counterfeit pills. This tragic connection underscores the lethal consequences of the illegal drug trade and the critical importance of law enforcement efforts to combat it.
