Authorities announced that two Middle Village residents were among the 24 facing charges after a multi-agency take-down of a fentanyl and heroin distribution network that resulted in 10 fatal drug overdoses.
According to Suffolk Country District Attorney Thomas Spota, the drug network brought more than 3,000 bags of the substance into Long Island communities from New York drug mills on a weekly basis.
Because of the dangerous mixture, Spota said the drugs resulted in 10 fatal overdoses in Long Island and nine more where the victim was revived with Narcan.
“They cut the heroin with fentanyl more most drug dealers, sometimes up to 50 percent,” he said. “But they also sold pure fentanyl in individual glassine bags to drug users for whom heroin no longer provided the euphoric high.
As part of the arrests, 31-year-old Melquisedec Puello, of 69th Avenue in Middle Village, was arrested and charged for operating as a major trafficker and a second-degree conspiracy charge. Bonita Genao, also of 69th Avenue in Middle Village, was arrested and charged with second-degree conspiracy.