Burning Plastic Smell Leads To Cape Cod Fentanyl Trafficking Charge

BARNSTABLE, MA — A New Bedford man is charged with trafficking fentanyl after a blender cup was found hidden near the engine of a Cadillac, police said.

At 8 p.m. on April 2, Barnstable Patrol Officer John Gardiner conducted a traffic stop of a black Cadillac in the area of Sea Street in Hyannis. The driver, Jason Hendricks-Tobey, 29, of New Bedford, was confirmed to be operating his car with a suspended license, police said.

"As Officer Gardiner interacted with Hendricks-Tobey, he smelled burning plastic emanating from the vehicle," police said.

"Upon further investigation, Officer Gardiner uncovered that the Cadillac contained narcotic distribution paraphernalia, and through his training and experience Gardiner located several 'hides' in the interior of the car for storing illegal narcotics."

Gardiner eventually found the source of the smell to be a plastic blender cup hidden on top of the hot engine block under the hood of the car. That cup contained over 300 grams of fentanyl, worth approximately $30,000, police said.

Hendricks-Tobey was arrested and charged with Trafficking Fentanyl over 200 Grams or more, along with several motor vehicle violations. He was later released from the Barnstable Police Department on $1,500 cash bail.

Hendricks-Tobey was arraigned at Barnstable District Court on April 3 and was ordered held on $15,000 cash bail.