A five-month investigation leads to a major drug bust in Philadelphia’s Kensington district, prosecutors said

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office announced the seizure of 1,100 packages of fentanyl, two handguns and a bag of bullets as part of a five-month investigation into fentanyl trafficking Kensington.

During a news conference Thursday afternoon, prosecutors described how undercover Pennsylvania State Police agents made three undercover purchases from 21-year-old Jada Williams, resulting in search warrants that resulted in the seizure of fentanyl and crack cocaine.

According to prosecutors, Williams was charged Wednesday with multiple drug and other related offenses.

“We hope that we can eliminate some high-priority drug corners in a truly cooperative and coordinated manner,” said District Attorney Larry Krasner.

Members of City Council Kensington Caucus who focus on neighborhood issues attended the press conference.

“We know the direct result of drug sales and outdoor drug use,” said Councilwoman Quetcy Lozada (D-07). “We see the impact they have on this community, on the children, the families and the businesses in this community.”

Councilman Jim Harrity, a Democrat and another member of the Kensington Caucus, said Williams was “directly responsible for the destruction of parts of this neighborhood.”

“The guns that we’ve gotten off the streets in my neighborhood, we know very well that what two guns can do in someone’s hands is what damage can do,” Harrity said.

Buddy Osborn, the senior pastor of Rock Ministries, said he has conducted too many funerals in the drug-infested neighborhood. He said stemming the flow of drugs into Kensington was a significant step forward.

“If someone breaks the law, they have to be responsible for what they did,” Osborn said. “The entire community is under siege and we hope that will change.”

The DA’s office said it plans to increase collaboration between its dangerous drug crimes unit and the gun violence task force.