Amid securing re-election as Suffolk County District Attorney, Ray Tierney’s first major post-victory press conference was quite a doozy.
At the Suffolk Police Department’s Brentwood headquarters, the DA announced on Friday, November 7th, that enough fentanyl “to kill the entire population” of Suffolk had been seized in a recent drug bust.
Six men in total were accused of trafficking “catastrophic” quantities of fentanyl, synthetic opioids, heroin, and cocaine through the Bronx and across Long Island’s East End. The suspects were booked in West Islip, Bay Shore, Wyandanch, Lindenhurst, and the Bronx.
“The takedown was significant, not just because this operation spanned from the Bronx to Suffolk County, but because law enforcement recovered enough fentanyl to kill the entire 1.5 million population of Suffolk County,” said Tierney.
“The defendants in this case allegedly ran a prolific drug distribution operation that flooded our neighborhoods with deadly fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. Every kilogram of fentanyl represents 500,000 potential overdose deaths,” he explained.
“There was more than enough fentanyl here to kill every man, woman and child in Suffolk County.”
This parallels a 2023 case in which another, unrelated Bronx man was arrested for allegedly transporting three kilos of pure fentanyl — which investigators said was enough to “wipe out Nassau County.”
In this instance, cash, firearms, ammunition, and pill-pressing machines were also seized.
“This investigation undoubtedly saved lives," said DEA New York Division Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino, who was also on hand to qualify the “ever-changing drug landscape of synthetic drug opioids” to the press in attendance and the masses keen on being filled in on the latest development in the modern epidemic.
To kick off their investigation, undercover officers bought fake oxycodone pills that were actually pure fentanyl pressed to look like the former.
The drugs eventually seized, Tarentino said, originated from Mexican cartels.