Tewksbury Police, DEA Seize 400 Grams Of Fentanyl

TEWKSBURY, MA — Tewksbury police working with state police and the Drug Enforcement Agency seized 400 grams of fentanyl at a local hotel room Thursday, Tewksbury Police Chief Ryan Columbus said Friday.

The three agencies executed a search warrant at a Tewksbury motel Thursday, following a "lengthy joint investigation" by the three agencies.

The police found about 400 grams of fentanyl in the room, but not the suspects they believed to be using the room.

"Tewksbury Police are working in conjunction with state police and the DEA to locate those individuals," the police said.

No further information about the investigation is currently available.

"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," Columbus said. "In the last week we have had two fatal overdoses in Tewksbury."

Columbus noted that overdose deaths in the U.S. passed 100,000 in a single year for the first time this year, with fentanyl playing a significant part in the 28.5 percent increase in overdose deaths.

"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," 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."