SPRINGFIELD — In a coordinated effort to combat narcotics trafficking, the Massachusetts State Police announced today the arrests of two men and the seizure of a substantial amount of fentanyl and several firearms in Springfield.
The Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team (CINRET West), in collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Agency Springfield Resident Office (DEA SRO), and the Springfield Police Department Firearms Investigations Unit (FIU), conducted a months-long investigation into 31-year-old Anthony Perez, who was suspected of distributing heroin/fentanyl from his Union Street home.
Known to law enforcement from prior probes, Perez was out on bail for other narcotics-related offenses.
On the evening of Wednesday, Aug. 7, narcotics investigators witnessed Perez engaging in a fentanyl sale.
Following the transaction, officers stopped Perez’s vehicle and attempted to arrest him.
After he resisted, they discovered Perez in possession of 25 “packs” of heroin/fentanyl, equivalent to 2,500 bags, as well as a loaded Glock 43 firearm and an extended magazine with ammunition.
Perez was arrested for trafficking and weapons charges.
Joel Rodriguez, also 31, from Holyoke, was taken into custody for trafficking heroin/fentanyl.
A subsequent “knock and announce” search warrant executed at Perez’s residence led to the discovery of more than 200 “packs” or 21,200 bags of suspected heroin/fentanyl, a loaded Beretta Px4 Storm handgun, a tactical Garaysar Fear-105 semiautomatic shotgun with two large capacity magazines, and a Century Arms AK47 rifle with an obliterated serial number and a loaded large capacity magazine.
Officers also confiscated a significant sum of US currency.
Both suspects were booked at the State Police Barracks in Springfield following their arrests.
