Hundreds of grams of fentanyl, gun seized in Manchester drug bust
DEA calls seizure significant
DEA calls seizure significant
DEA calls seizure significant
Two people are facing drug-related charges tonight after an early morning drug bust in Manchester in which police seized 251.4 grams of fentanyl, over $9,000 in cash, a 9-mm handgun and various drug paraphernalia.
"Anytime you have a significant amount of drugs coupled with guns, when that comes together, these are hard cases to make," said DEA assistant special agent in charge, Jon DeLena. "This really just goes to show the hard work that those men and women over there are putting forward."
Police charged Jose Sanchez with possession of a controlled drug and possession of a narcotic with intent to distribute. Melissa Gazaway was charged with sale of a narcotic.
"Every dose is potentially a lethal dose. We see that. We see our citizens in New Hampshire dying from this stuff every single day," DeLena said.
Seabrook police also had a significant drug bust early Friday morning. They arrested five people after a months-long investigation.
The success in enforcement is seen as good news in the midst of disappointing closures of some addiction recovery centers struggling with funding.
"It is a multi-pronged approach. Enforcement is a significant portion of what we're trying to do but also treatment and recovery," DeLena said. "And we know [that], especially in Manchester when you look at what Safe Stations is doing and all the hard work of the people over there and also the prevention world."
Authorities said cases like these also underline the importance of prevention by doing more to reach out to kids before they get involved in drugs.