Crime

23 arrested, 74,000 pills confiscated in massive North Shore drug raid

Authorities also seized a pill press and bags with about three to four kilograms of suspected powdered fentanyl.

Photo courtesy United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts

By Marta Hill

2 minutes to read

Following the execution of a number of federal warrants Tuesday, 23 people are charged with trafficking counterfeit prescription pills in connection with a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization. 

Authorities also seized more than 74,000 fake Adderall pills containing methamphetamine and more than 1,000 oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. 

The investigation into this drug trafficking organization has been in the works since 2018, when authorities identified brothers Lawrence Michael Nagle and Christopher Nagle as leaders of the organization. 

The Nagle drug trafficking organization allegedly distributed large quantities of various controlled substances including Adderall, Xanax, and oxycodone.

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The Nagle organization allegedly worked in concert with other trafficking organizations headed by Nelson Mora, Javier Bello, and Anthony Bryson, the U.S. Attorney’s office said. 

On Tuesday, the execution of federal search warrants led to the seizure of a pill press, bags with about three to four kilograms of suspected powdered fentanyl in various colors, and various amounts of suspected counterfeit Adderall pills and counterfeit oxycodone.

“Since taking office 10 months ago, we have worked tirelessly in collaboration with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to combat the deadly drug and opioid crisis poisoning our Commonwealth. Last year we lost over 2,000 lives. Loved ones taken, stolen from us. And to be clear – counterfeit prescription pills being sold on the street are part of the problem. Swallowing a deadly drug can have the same fatal outcome as injecting one. These charges are an important step in slowing and ending the near constant stream of illegal drugs flowing into our communities,” U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins said in a release. 

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Rollins went on to say that “North Shore residents are safer now” with the potentially deadly pills off the streets. 

“The practice of disguising fentanyl and other dangerous drugs as prescription medication is especially nefarious for the dangers it poses to unsuspecting users and the new addictions it fuels,” Col. Christopher Mason, superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, said in the release.

The 23 people arrested could face sentences of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute.

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