A 42-year-old Lawrence man was arrested Friday after a drug bust saw the seizure of thousands of orange and blue pills, a kilo-sized brick of powder and nearly $250,000 in cash.
Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker and acting Lawrence Police Chief Melix Bonilla said Friday the raid took place at the Lawrence home of Manuel Barroso, 20 Crestshire Drive. Barroso was charged with two felonies, trafficking more than 200 grams of fentanyl and trafficking more than 200 grams of methamphetamine, both in relation to a May 22 discovery of a pill press operation found in a basement apartment at 9 Salem St., Lawrence.
“Apprehending and prosecuting those dealing in these dangerous, often deadly, illegal drugs and getting these substances off of the streets makes our communities safer,” said Tucker in a release.
The Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit for Essex County, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Lawrence Police Department obtained search warrants to conduct the raid.
Besides the pill press, State and Lawrence police also found several five-gallon buckets of orange powder and many bags of pills during the May discovery. The district attorney’s office said an investigation of the apartment’s occupants led them to Barroso, who they say is likely to face additional charges.
Barroso, represented by defense attorney Michael Downing, was arraigned in Lawrence District Court Friday, pled not guilty and was ordered held without bail.
He is scheduled to return to court for a detention hearing on July 10 at 9 a.m.