‘Operation No Love:’ Police bust drug trafficking organization in Bristol County
FALL RIVER, Mass. (WLNE) — The Massachusetts State Police said 16 people have been arrested as part of a drug trafficking investigation titled “Operation No Love.”
On April 15 and 16, Massachusetts State Police Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team, Homeland Security, and other police departments executed search warrants at 20 locations throughout Fall River, Taunton, Raynham, Norton, Pembroke, and Falmouth, resulting in the arrest of the 16 individuals.
In March of 2024, MSP officers, Brockton police, East Bridgewater police, and HSI began a narcotics investigation into a drug trafficking organization in Bristol County.
During the investigation, an MSP trooper went undercover and partook in nine controlled drug purchases with a member of the organization.
From then on, MSP said the departments used physical and electronic surveillance, toll analysis, and electronic intercepts of target cell phones to identify the individuals involved with the drug trafficking organization.
On April 15, nearly 200 law enforcement officers executed search warrants for 20 locations and allegedly seized about 2280 grams of cocaine, 336 grams of fentanyl, 32 firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, high-capacity magazines, and $109,355, according to MSP.
After receiving additional information on a target location in Taunton, police returned to a scene on April 16 and allegedly seized a loaded Diamondback 9mm pistol, 1028 grams of fentanyl and 80 grams of cocaine.
The following 16 individuals were arrested and arraigned:
- Yosef Ali, 49, of Fall River
- Trafficking 100 grams or more of fentanyl
- Trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine
- Conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Bail set at $75,000
- Jean Carlos Castillo Mendoza, 44, of Fall River
- Trafficking 100 grams or more in fentanyl
- Trafficking 200 grams or more in cocaine
- Conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Bail set at $150,000
- Jorge Santiago, 36, of Taunton
- Two counts of possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance
- Conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Bail set at $20,000
- Jorge Arce, 46, of Taunton
- Trafficking 200 grams or more in cocaine
- Trafficking 36 grams or more in fentanyl
- Possession of ammunition without FID Card
- Conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Bail set at $100,000
- Neftali Torres, 51, of Taunton
- Trafficking 100 grams or more in cocaine
- Conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Bail set at $25,000
- Christopher McLaughlin, 43, of Taunton
- Trafficking 18 grams or more in cocaine
- Trafficking 18 grams or more in fentanyl
- Held without bail
- Shawn Roias, 35, of Taunton
- Trafficking 200 grams or more in cocaine
- Possession with intent to distribute a Class D substance
- Conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Possession of a large capacity feeding device
- Possession of a firearm during commission of a felony
- Bail set at $25,000
- Courtney Whitmore, 27, of Taunton
- Trafficking 200 grams or more in cocaine
- Conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Bail set at $10,000
- Val Bettencourt, 50, of Taunton
- Possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance, subsequent offense
- Conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Bail set at $10,000
- Brayton Crites, 26, of Taunton
- Two counts of possession with intent to distribute a Class A substance, subsequent offense
- Conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Bail set at $20,000
- Andrew Williams, 27, of Raynham
- Five counts of trafficking 18 grams or more in cocaine
- Two counts of trafficking 36 grams or more in cocaine
- Three counts of distribution of a Class B substance
- Conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Bail set at $25,000
- Sabrina Cohen, 27, of Taunton
- Possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance
- Conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Bail set at $1,000
- Lucas Guimaraes, 29, of Norton
- Trafficking 36 grams or more in cocaine
- Conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Bail set at $25,000
- Brian Szakaly, 27, of Raynham
- Possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance
- Conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Possession of a firearm during commission of a felony
- Bail set at $15,000
- David Brasil, 45, of Falmouth
- Possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance
- Possession of a Class C substance
- Conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Bail set at $500
- Mary Hunt, 59, of Falmouth
- Possession of a Class B substance
- Bail set at personal recognizance
MSP added that Lucas Guimaraes faces the following charges out of Attleboro District Court for a different case: trafficking 100 grams or more in cocaine, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm without an FID card, and possession of ammunition without an FID card.
Other law enforcement agencies that assisted with the operation include: the Attorney General’s Office State Police Detective Unit, MSP’s Technical Services Unit; the Plymouth, Bristol and Norfolk County State Police Detective Units, Norton Police Department, Fall River Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration New Bedford Resident Office, United States Postal Inspection Service, the West Bridgewater Police Department, the FBI; and members of the Brockton, East Bridgewater, Falmouth, and Pembroke Police Departments.
