Fentanyl Dealer Busted With $1M In NH: Feds

CONCORD, NH — A fentanyl dealer from the Dominican Republic who trafficked drugs from Massachusetts to New Hampshire and had nearly $1 million in his possession pleaded guilty to federal charges last week. Raul Vantroi Arias Ruiz admitted to participating in a fentanyl ring in federal court in Concord. He will be sentenced in October.

New Hampshire U.S. Attorney Scott Murray said Ruiz sold fentanyl to a federal Drug Enforcement Administration agent in Nashua on multiple occasions last year. He was arrested at his residence in Methuen, Massachusetts — where police said they found 90 grams of fentanyl, 20 grams of heroin, 30 pounds of marijuana and $941,994 in cash. Ruiz was forced to forfeit the money.

"The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to stopping the transportation and distribution of fentanyl and other deadly drugs into New Hampshire," Murray said in a statement. "We will continue to coordinate with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are responsible for introducing these lethal substances into the Granite State. We also will use federal forfeiture laws to ensure that drug dealers and their suppliers are not able to profit from their criminal activities."

Ruiz is also facing charges from Massachusetts authorities.

Earlier this month, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions visited New Hampshire and announced Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge, a law enforcement program targeting opioid dealers in New Hampshire and nine other regions across the country.

"We are going to arrest, prosecute, and convict fentanyl dealers and we are going to put them in jail," Sessions said.

"Fentanyl is a deadly drug that continues to cause grave damage to the people of the Granite State," Murray added. "In order to protect the safety of our community, we will use every resource at our disposal to investigate and prosecute drug dealers who sell fentanyl in New Hampshire."

Previous:

• In NH, Jeff Sessions Announces Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge
• NH Fentanyl Trafficker Gets 10 Years In Prison
• NH Fentanyl Dealer Gets 5 Years In Prison, Faces Deportation
• Nashua Fentanyl Trafficker Pleads Guilty In Undercover Bust
• NH Fentanyl Dealer With Lawrence Stash Pleads Guilty

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