A Dominican man living in Lawrence has been charged for his alleged role in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization that dealt fentanyl and meth supplied by the Sinaloa Cartel.
Leury Then Rosario, 33, allegedly possessed more than 20 kilos of controlled substances, a pill press and six guns hidden inside an alarmed, trap wall closet, according to the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Rosario was arrested last week, and he was charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and methamphetamine.
“The alleged discovery of this defendant’s hidden trap wall concealing a stockpile of narcotics and weapons lays bare the dangerous reality of drug trafficking today: fentanyl and methamphetamine are flooding our communities, protected by deadly firepower,” U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley said in a statement.
“Drug traffickers are adapting, but so are we,” Foley added. “This office, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to dismantle these criminal networks piece by piece, ensuring those who peddle poison in our communities face the full force of justice.”
The investigation was launched in January 2023, as law enforcement looked into a North Shore drug trafficking organization that was being supplied with fentanyl and meth from the Sinaloa Cartel.
Officials allegedly identified Rosario to be a Lawrence-based drug trafficker operating as part of the organization.
After Rosario was arrested last week, law enforcement executed search warrants at his primary residence and an alleged stash location in Lawrence.
According to court filings, the basement storage room of the stash location contained two large, locked storage boxes with equipment commonly used in drug processing or manufacturing: respirators; gloves; drug packaging materials; scales; blenders; and other tools.
Law enforcement also found a small remote control with an extendable antenna. The remote control reportedly triggered an audible alarm and a trap wall opened — revealing a hidden closet that allegedly contained:
— More than 16 kilos of of counterfeit pills, in various colors and sizes, containing controlled substances
— A brick-shaped object of a white powdery substance, weighing about one kilo, that field tested positive for cocaine
— More than two kilos of suspected fentanyl pressed into 10-gram units, commonly referred to as “fingers” in retail drug trafficking
— More than two kilos of suspected fentanyl powder in large bags
— A commercial pill press used to press counterfeit pills, including more than 50 pill die casts with designs to counterfeit Percoet, Xanax, Adderall and others
— One Glock Model 33 .357 caliber semiautomatic handgun loaded with six rounds of ammunition
— One High Point .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun loaded with eight rounds of ammunition
— One Ruger .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun loaded with six rounds of ammunition
— Two Glock-style personally made firearms (also known as “ghost guns”) with no serial numbers loaded with 10 and nine rounds of ammunition, respectively
— One AR-15 style rifle with a .458 SOCOM caliber, loaded with eight rounds of ammunition
The DEA’s New England Field Division and Massachusetts State Police helped with the bust.
“The Massachusetts State Police has committed investigatory, intelligence and tactical resources in support of the DEA Strike Force, knowing that it could yield enormous results for the communities we serve,” said Mass State Police Col. Geoffrey Noble.
“This arrest, the second successful operation in as many weeks, is a culmination of a complex investigation by local, state and federal partners,” Noble added. “Their results and the decision to prosecute these offenses reinforce our shared belief that criminal gangs, illegal guns and illicit drugs have no place in Massachusetts. We remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our communities.”