Cops find 12 kilos of fentanyl near Bronx daycare centers: 1 in custody
BRONX - Authorities found 12 kilograms of fentanyl inside a Bronx apartment building in the Belmont section that houses multiple daycare centers.
"That's ridiculous having stuff like that around kids," one resident said.
According to the fire department, crews initially responded to a report of a fentanyl spill Tuesday at 780 Garden Street, with first responders wearing hazmat suits.
Police found 12 kilograms inside the building. Exposure to even a minuscule amount can be deadly, according to the city's Health Department.
A source says one NYPD officer and a New York State trooper were taken to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries. At least five others were evaluated at the scene.
FOX 5 NY's Robert Moses reports that at least one man was taken into custody, according to a police source. Charges against the man are still pending.
Residents were shocked to find out what was happening in their building. "That’s absolutely disgusting," one woman said. Another described the situation as "absolutely crazy."
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Nearly $1.5 million of fentanyl seized in the Bronx, blocks away from daycare where 1-year-old died
According to police, the fentanyl was transported in a rolling suitcase on the subway.
The incident happened less than two miles from a 2023 incident on Morris Avenue, where 1-year-old Nicholas Dominici died from fentanyl exposure at a daycare center.
1-year-old Nicholas Dominici died from fentanyl exposure at a daycare center in the Bronx.
"Fentanyl is everywhere and in everything and it’s the most urgent threat right now to our family’s community and our children," said Frank Terentino, special agent in charge of the DEA New York division.
Brooklyn cocaine, fentanyl bust
The Bronx bust follows another major operation in Williamsburg, Brooklyn,
The Special Narcotics Prosecutor (SNP) says last week authorities seized more than 85 pounds of cocaine and fentanyl, eight guns, and $420,000 in cash.
Police arrested 45-year-old George Capella on multiple charges, including operating as a major trafficker.
New York City's Opioid Crisis
Fentanyl continues to plague the nation, with DEA figures showing 2024 seizures equaling more than 354 million potentially fatal doses.
In 2023 the city's Health Department reported the highest number of drug overdoses on record last year, with 3,026 people dying, a 12% increase from the year before.
Opioids are currently killing one New Yorker every three hours.
Its key contributor, fentanyl, is reportedly the most common substance present in 4 out of 5 overdose deaths in the city.
"Reports are that New York like everywhere else in the country, its accessible. You never have to go more than a few blocks to find someone who’s trafficking it," said Harry Nelson, a healthcare professional and author of the United States of Opioids.