N.J. authorities break up heroin operation possibly linked to 84 recent overdose deaths

N.J. authorities urged opioid users to ditch their drugs if they see certain packages after a major bust at a North Jersey facility producing heroin laced with fentanyl.

Joe Hernandez

March 21, 2019

Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, New Jersey State Police Captain Gregory Demeter and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brett Dreyer announce the arrests of three men in the takedown of a major fentanyl and heroin mill, in Harrison, N.J., that distributed its narcotics in wax folds stamped with the same brand names that have been linked to 227 overdoses, including 84 deaths, in Newark, N.J. on Thursday, March 21, 2019. (Tim Larsen/Office of the Attorney General)

Tom Brady. NyQuil. Blue Magic.

New Jersey law enforcement authorities are urging heroin users to ditch their drugs if they see any packages stamped with these logos.

“Please, please, stay away from it. Your next fix could very likely be your last,” said Attorney General Gurbir Grewal at a Thursday press conference.

The unusual warning followed what authorities said was a major bust of a heroin production facility at a luxury apartment in Harrison in North Jersey. Officials estimated it was churning out 15,000 doses of fentanyl-laced heroin every day.

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Authorities said they found the potentially deadly heroin stamped with those three logos, which they linked to 84 overdose deaths and more than 100 nonfatal overdoses in New Jersey in the last 12 months.

Grewal said the overdose deaths occurred in 15 of New Jersey’s 21 counties, and he warned that more of the deadly doses could still be in circulation.

“Dealers peddle in specific brands of heroin, because, once they develop a reputation that their particular brand is stronger, it unfortunately attracts more addicts to that street-level dealer,” he said.

Timothy Guest, 45, and his associates William Woodley, 27, and Selionel Orama, 25, face first- and second-degree drug charges, including maintaining a narcotics production facility. Guest was also charged with eluding police.

Guest is being held in jail until a detention hearing. Woodley and Orama were released with conditions following their detention hearings.

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