The US Drug Enforcement Administration investigators made a significant breakthrough when they seized and arrested 7 New Haven County residents in a Connecticut neighbourhood. The operation, which involved the manufacturing and distribution of drugs, was no small endeavour.
Law enforcement authorities alleged that the counterfeit pill manufacturing operation sold narcotics across the United States using multiple darknet markets, underscoring the scale and reach of the operation.
Key Insights
- DEA investigators arrested 7 New Haven County residents in connection with a large-scale counterfeit pill operation.
- The drug ring, led by Kelldon Hinton, manufactured counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine, protonitazene, and xylazine.
- Authorities seized over 2 million pills, marking the largest counterfeit pill seizure in New England.
The operation used darknet markets to distribute narcotics across the United States. - The manufacturing was conducted in an East Haven garage, using equipment capable of producing over 100,000 pills per hour.
- Hinton and his associates sourced materials from China, including pill press parts and controlled substances.
- Hinton faces up to life in prison, while his six associates face up to 20 years in prison.
Authorities confirmed the seizure of several hundred thousand pills from the successful investigation into a drug manufacturing operation run in an East Haven garage. Authorities described the amount of confiscated narcotics as the largest seizure of conterfeit pills in New England.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut Vanessa Roberts Avery announced in a press release that 7 New Haven Country residents aged between 64 and 33 years old were charged last early month, and the investigation is ongoing, with more charges to follow. This ongoing investigation ensures that all those involved in this illegal operation will be brought to justice.
45-year-old New Haven resident Kelldon Hinton is the suspected leader of the Tyler Street Extension drug operation. Two other associates, 33-year-old Emanuel Payton of New Haven and 47-year-old Ogman of West Haven, remain in custody. The charges against them include [specific charges]. At the same time, four other associates were released pending trial, each facing their charges.
What We Know About the Incident
The investigation into the counterfeit pills lab stems from an operation led by the DEA New Haven Tactical Division and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service targeting the manufacturing and distribution of counterfeit narcotics.
In June 2023, law enforcement officials received information that Kelldon Hinton was manufacturing large quantities of counterfeit pills containing controlled substances using a pill press. According to court documents, the informant said that Hinton was “constantly in possession of ‘mounds’ of Percocet”.
Under surveillance investigators noticed that Hinton frequently visited the garage on Tyler Street Extension in East Haven. Hinton was spotted opening the garage door to vent heat from the inside and using a leaf blower to remove large amounts of white powder.
Investigators alleged the large amounts of white substance were excess powder from a pill press operation. Additionally, law enforcement agents discovered a text message where Hinton dubbed the garage as “the lab.”
As part of the ongoing investigation, law enforcement officers seized and searched parcels sent through the U.S. Mail and commercial delivery services. Undercover purchases of counterfeit pills determined that the drug operation was purchasing materials such as protonitazene, dimethypentalone, and pill press parts from China to manufacture counterfeit pills.
Investigators believe that Hinton arranged for parcels to be delivered to members of the organization’s homes. These members were then responsible for hand-delivering the parcels to Hinton’s or the lab.
One of the parcels that law enforcement officials intercepted contained 1 kilogram of xylazine, which is used to produce counterfeit Oxycodone and Percocet pills. Furthermore, authorities also seized several trash bags left outside the premises in East Haven.
Inside the bags, officers found used surgical gloves and tablets that tested positive for protonitazine and methamphetamine. Protonitazene is a synthetic opiate believed to be three times stronger than fentanyl.
Upon further investigation and records, law enforcement agents were able to identify Emanuel Payton as a member of the drug manufacturing operation. Hinton and Payton communicated extensively daily. Payton is alleged to have been in charge of distributing the counterfeit pills on darknet markets.
Investigators also made two controlled purchases of counterfeit pills from a dark web page believed to be linked with the operation. Both purchases shared similarities to the packages investigators had seen Hinton ship during their surveillance.
On May 10th, police investigators searched Payton’s vehicle as he concluded a drug transaction with Hinton. Officers seized a black laptop as well as a bag of white substance containing cocaine, fentanyl, and xylazine.
Echevarria, a member of the organization, was arrested in July after police searched his vehicle during a coordinated traffic stop. Law enforcement officers seized an estimated 1,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills.
On September 5th, U.S. Drug enforcement agents entered and raided the premises at Tyler Street Extension in East Haven, finding thousands of counterfeit pills, two large pill presses and pill manufacturing equipment.
The pills appeared to replicate Oxycodone, Adderall, Percocet and prescription medication. Lab tests revealed the pills contained traces of methamphetamine, xylazine, protonitazene, and a veterinary sedative.
Federal law agents confirmed the equipment seized as part of the raid was capable of producing more than 100,000 counterfeit pills an hour. Court records from February 2023 to February 2024 indicate that the criminal organization mailed over 1,330 packages across the United States ordered through darknet markets.
Three packages destined for California with an estimated 6,000 pills were intercepted as a result of the information. Hinton also distributed counterfeit pills to his associates in Connecticut, who sold them to their customers.
Federal law enforcement agents also discovered that the organization had a couple of stores advertising its products on the darknet. As part of the investigation, Hinton’s cryptocurrency accounts were subpoenaed.
Police discovered that his accounts received an estimated $30,000 from various darknet markets during the investigative period. Hinton also transferred more than $57,000 from his cryptocurrency account to his account.
After the successful search and seizure raid, police arrested five members of the drug manufacturing organization on federal complaints. Two other members of the organization were included in an indictment order on September 18th and were arrested the following day.
David Lanzoni, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the DEA’s New England office, confirmed that it has been the largest seizure of fake pills in the New England jurisdiction, with more than 2 million pills seized as part of the investigation.
Charges
The seven arrested residents face charges of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and protonitazene. Hinton faces a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years and a maximum sentcence of life imprisonment. The other six defendants each face a maximum prison term of 20 years.
The indictment order also charges Hinton with one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of protonitazene. The charge carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment.
Another arrest of stupidity.
Wow they got busted! amazing how dumb they are. this is darknet noobs.