LMT Man Arrested In Massive Drug Trafficking Bust (ICYMI)

LOWER MAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP, PA — A Lower Makefield man is one of 31 people charged last week in what federal prosecutors say were multiple major cocaine and heroin trafficking operations.

Andre Morton, 37, is charged with conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and conspiracy to distribute more than 280 grams of crack cocaine, the U.S. Attorney's office in New Jersey announced.

Federal authorities said that 28 people had been arrested Thursday, one was already in custody and two more remained at large in what were described as separate trafficking rings based in New Jersey.

The rings distributed drugs in the Burlington County, N.J. area, prosecutors said.

The first federal complaint charged 20 defendants in two overlapping drug conspiracies to distribute cocaine and crack in the area. That organization was operated by Herbert Mays, of Willingboro, N.J., prosecutors allege.

The second complaint charged 12 defendants with three interrelated drug conspiracies to sell cocaine, crack and heroin. Talib Conway, of Philadelphia, is accused of being the leader of this organization.

"The defendants charged in this case were responsible for moving large quantities of dangerous drugs through the streets of Burlington County and elsewhere," New Jersey U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. "Taking this number of people off the street required a massive and coordinated effort by our office and other federal and state law enforcement organizations. These arrests should go a long way toward making our streets safer."

In a criminal complaint, Morton is described as being a main supplier for one of the organizations.

According to prosecutors, suppliers like Morton in the Philadelphia area provided the drugs, which were sold in Burlington County and elsewhere. Investigators intercepted telephone calls and text messages through court-authorized wiretaps and other techniques, the U.S. Attorney's office said.