Providence drug ring bust nets Westport, Tiverton residents

Posted 5/26/17

Three Westport men and a Tiverton woman are among 36 people charged in a two-state drug probe called Operation Stop the Flow” by Providence police.

At a press conference, police and Providence …

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Providence drug ring bust nets Westport, Tiverton residents

Posted

Three Westport men and a Tiverton woman are among 36 people charged in a two-state drug probe called Operation Stop the Flow” by Providence police.

At a press conference, police and Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza said the operation targeted a drug ring that involved distribution of drugs including heroin and fentanyl from Providence into southeastern Massachusetts.

The list of those charged included six Rhode Islanders accused of running the drug ring, and 30 “buyers” who purchased and then delivered the drugs to southeastern Massachusetts

Among those accused buyers are:

Westport

Matthew D. Teasdale, 30, three counts of conspiracy, possession with intent to deliver, heroin.

Keith N. Vieira, 48, two counts of conspiracy, possession with intent to deliver, heroin.

Daniel S. Christos, 34, on count of conspiracy, possession with intent to deliver, heroin.

Tiverton

Elizabeth Carvalho, 36, three counts conspiracy, possession with intent to deliver, heroin.

Westport detectives and patrol officers were involved in the operation, said Detective Jeff Majewski.

"It is a reminder that drugs and the problems associated with then hit big cities and smaller towns” alike, he said.

Detectives said that Massachusetts buyers entered Rhode Island, bought bricks of heroin at $120 apiece, and then sold them in the greater Fall River area for $360. A “brick” is 50 glassine bags of heroin.

After markups, a $65,000 kilo of heroin would sell at street level for around $130,000.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration funded the investigation, and the FBI enabled Providence detectives to use their wiretap equipment and an office to monitor calls seven days a week.

The investigation included East Providence Police, Massachusetts State Police, the Bristol County (Mass.) District Attorney’s Office, the Fall River Police, Westport detectives and the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office.

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