17 people arrested in raid on drug ring in Monmouth County

More than a dozen people have been arrested following an eight-month investigation into a drug ring in Monmouth County, prosecutors announced Monday.

The investigation into the large-scale illegal drug trade resulted in 17 arrests and the seizure of drugs worth several hundred thousand dollars on the street, prosecutors say.

The investigation revealed that drugs were being trafficked into the county from a fentanyl factory in Paterson operated by Pedro Torres-Rivera, 54, and Manuel Dejesus-Polanco, 54, both of Paterson, prosecutors said. When police raided the factory, prosecutors found Torres-Rivera and Dejesus-Polanco wearing surgical masks while packaging drugs.

Police also raided caches in Long Branch and Neptune and found 450 grams of fentanyl. Authorities estimate this amount is enough to kill 225,000 people.

According to prosecutors, cocaine, Xanax, cutting agents and cash worth nearly $28,000 were also found in the hiding places.

In total, authorities said 22 cartons intended for packaging individual doses of opioids were seized. Prosecutors say three overdose deaths are linked to the packaging used by the factories.