Philadelphia had breaking news in the form of a massive drug bust this week. Almost a dozen people ended up being arrested thanks to the tireless efforts of the police. The drug bust was in the Kensington section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The drug bust is now being announced as the “Kensington Initiative”.
The United States in the midst of what we call an Opioid Epidemic. Drugs are becoming the number one killer in our country, which should be entirely preventable. People want to know what is being done to keep their homes and communities safe.
People should be able to feel comfortable walking their streets or sending their kids to school. There shouldn’t be the shadow and threat of drugs hovering over their heads at any given moment.
Philadelphia had one of the highest death rates in the United States in 2016 due to drug use. More than 80 percent of people who died that year of drug use did so due to opioids. That is why this drug bust is so hugely important. It helped take a killer off the streets that was causing so much trouble in this state.
The health department says that it is a lot different than it was about twenty years ago when it comes to drug use. Now opioid deaths have taken over, especially due to the introduction of fentanyl.
A high number of police officers took to the streets Thursday morning to help make this happen. More than 160 officers served warrants at 13 separate homes and 15 different vehicles. These were places where known suspects lived or commonly visited.
This ended with eleven people being arrested with connections to drug trafficking in Philadelphia. Exactly what the community needed to prove something was being done about the state they’ve been so recently in.
The amount of money those people who were arrested made a year in suspected drug trafficking was around $8 million. Here is a list of the suspects that were arrested on Thursday:
– Anthony Rojas, 32
– Edwin Parrilla, 36
– Jonathan Pagan Rojas, 35
– Jose Dejesus Evangelista, 35
– Kelvin Rojas, 35
– Moreno Rodriquez, 26
– Rafael Soto, 49
– Raymon Rodriguez-Robles, 32
– Rolfi Rodriguez, 40
– Sandra Sanchez Pacheco, 51
– Steven Joel Rodriguez Burgos, 25
The two drugs that managed to be seized during this massive drug bust were heroin and fentanyl. Two of the most addictive and most dangerous drugs out there right now doing damage to the city.
Together, the heroin and fentanyl seized amounted to around 170,000 doses of the drugs. They were sold around roughly the same area.
Everyone who was arrested will be facing similar charges. These charges do include one count of charges including corrupt organizations, conspiracy, possession with intent to deliver narcotics and simple possession.
The arrests will most likely not stop there. There is plenty to do in this “Kensington Initiative” and more justice should definitely follow.