MANCHESTER — A six-month joint investigation culminated in the arrest of four people connected to a Lawrence-based drug trafficking organization that supplied significant amounts of narcotics to Manchester.
The investigation began in Manchester and later expanded into Massachusetts.
It was a collaborative effort including the Manchester Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police’s Essex County Detective Unit, the Lawrence Police Department, and the DEA New Hampshire Office.
During the course of the operation, investigators seized narcotics from the organization that tested positive for the presence of carfentanil, a synthetic opioid that is 100 times more potent than fentanyl.
On Sept. 16, law enforcement executed two residential search warrants in Lawrence, Massachusetts, resulting in the arrest of four Massachusetts residents, each facing narcotics distribution charges in Massachusetts.
The arrested individuals are 34-year-old Diego De Los Santos Vizcaino, 58-year-old Samuel Tibrey Arias, 25-year-old Yeison Vizcaino Franco and 40-year-old Ysidro Martinez.
The investigation led to the seizure of 2,113 grams of fentanyl, 124 grams of crack cocaine and 2.59 pounds of methamphetamine.
Manchester Police Chief Peter Marr said carfentanil is one of the most dangerous substances on the streets today and poses an extreme risk to public safety.
Lawrence Police Chief Maurice Aguiler said the investigation underscores their dedication to disrupting the networks that bring dangerous substances into communities.
The case is being prosecuted by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts.
