StemCell Therapy

One hundred lives or more, its hard to say how many people have been saved but one "deadly drug cell" is no longer in operation in Warren, according to police.

Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer detailed on Wednesday the success by his special investigations unit in taking down key players in a conspiracy that allegedly involved the sale of heroin laced with fentanyl, believed to be responsible for at least three deaths in Warren this past year.

Dwyer stated in a news release that early morning raids were conducted by Warren police units at two locations in Detroit, drugs were seized and arrests were made.

Three Detroit men have been arraigned and are jailed in lieu of bonds of $250,000 to $350,000 including: Jermaine Tate, 38, Nathaniel Clark, 32 and Terry Jamal Gaskins, 34. Each have been charged with conducting criminal enterprise, a drug trafficking organization; three counts of delivery/manufacture of fentanyl, and three counts of conspiracy to conduct the delivery/manufacture of fentanyl.

Also charged in a not-in-custody warrant is Isaac Lee Bannerman, 34, of Detroit.

Each offense is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

"These arrests stem from the Warren Police Department's Operation SNOW (Stopping Narcotic Overdoses in Warren)," Dwyer said, of the group that began its investigation in November following the death of a 47-year-old Warren resident.

"We are anticipating more charges and arrests in the near future," Dwyer said. "We believe this group is a cell in a major organization that is providing fentanyl to those addicted not only in Warren but also throughout the rest of Macomb County, as well as Wayne, St. Clair and Lapeer counties."

Among the leaders Dwyer singled out for their tenacity and dedication to the investigation were: Lt. Matthew Dillenbeck, Sgt. Steve Showers; and Detectives Craig Bankowski and Todd Murray.

The investigation is one of many efforts to combat the rising deaths related to drug abuse.

Overdose drug deaths have been a rising problem across the country, Dwyer said. In 2019, there were 72,000 overdose deaths nationwide and in the last year have increased by 13% he said. Michigan averages 26.6 overdose deaths per 100,000 people and deaths from illicit drugs like fentanyl remain higher than death totals for car accidents, gun violence and AIDS, Dwyer said.

Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer

MACOMB DAILY FILE PHOTO

Fentanyl, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, is a powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. It is a prescription drug given to patients for pain, particularly after surgery.

"In Warren alone for the year 2020, we have had 296 overdoses, up from 249 in 2019," Dwyer said. "Sadly, the amount of overdose deaths has increased from 29 reported in 2019 to 55 overdose deaths in 2020. This represents an 89.6% increase."

Applauding the success of the month-long investigation was Warren Mayor Jim Fouts.

"It has been a priority of my administration to work on eliminating drug overdoses and holding those who distribute these toxins throughout our city accountable," Fouts said.

Commissioner Dwyer also applauded Macomb County Assistant Prosecutor Dena Keller for demonstrating "excellent professionalism and dedication in her work assisting the Warren police department in this investigation."

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Deadly drug cell shattered by Warren police narcotics investigation - The Macomb Daily

This entry was posted on January 2, 2021 at 5:51 pm and is filed under Death by Stem Cells. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |