DEA Issues Warning About New Drug on Long Island
The DEA has issued a cautionary note regarding a potent new drug found on Long Island, highlighting that it is 100 times stronger than fentanyl. This discovery was made during a drug raid last month, and it may already be circulating in local markets.
This newly identified form of Nitazen, a synthetic opioid linked to numerous overdose deaths nationwide, was captured by agents during a raid in Hicksville last August. It creates considerable concern due to its resistance to Narcan, the overdose-reversal drug. Special agent Frank Tarentino commented on this alarming find, expressing surprise at encountering this compound in the Northeast for the first time.
Anthony Janatiempo, a 34-year-old from Hicksville, was taken into custody following a search of his residence on August 5th.
In addition to the new drug, agents confiscated a notable range of substances, including 59 fentanyl tablets, 47 methamphetamine tablets, 10 glass vials of liquid fentanyl, 750 grams of fentanyl powder, 190 grams of cocaine, and 200 grams of methamphetamine.
Tarentino noted that this situation didn’t arise spontaneously. “This wasn’t a magical appearance at the Hicksville home; it was trafficked here by criminal networks,” he stated.
Authorities suspect that the tablets might have been smuggled from Mexico by the Sinaloa cartel or the newer generation of the Jalisco cartel, or possibly sourced from raw materials exported to the U.S. by Chinese criminal organizations.
The Nitazen discovered during the raid was analyzed and confirmed to be significantly stronger than fentanyl, which raises existing concerns about the ongoing opioid crisis.
Tarentino remarked on the findings, stating, “It’s been confirmed to be a lab,” regarding the potency of the pills. Further analysis from regional institutes is ongoing to detail precisely what is in these substances.
In addition to the drugs, Janatiempo’s residence yielded an alarming cache of explosives, including five bombs and over 30 pounds of smokeless gunpowder.
Janatiempo was arrested on August 6th in Hempstead’s 1st District Court, facing multiple charges related to drugs, weapons, and explosives. He has pleaded not guilty and has been held without bail since his arrest.
