Busting through doors and sweeping up bags of narcotics, Boston cops took down a major drug ring in a series of highly-coordinated raids netting five suspects and a major stash of illegal drugs. Joint efforts by the Boston Police Department's Drug Control Units and the DEA Task Force culminated in the arrest of Jose Virella-Castro, 41, of Boston, Jarlin Soto-Soto, 41, of Dorchester, Alejandro Fernandez, 62, of Roxbury, Michael Moreira, 57, for Roxbury, and Rafael Puntier, 54, of Roxbury. The bust also yielded a trove of drugs, cash, and gear used in the drug trade.

Details about the Saturday operation were released by the police, highlighting the take-down that occurred around midday on April 20, 2024. Officers executed search warrants at three locations—35 Northampton Street, 155 Eustis Street, and 161 W. Springfield Street—where they stumbled upon a significant amount of crack cocaine and fentanyl. According to a statement from the Boston Police Department, the hall consisted of 459 plastic bags of crack cocaine totaling approximately 253 grams, and 412 plastic bags of fentanyl weighing in around 980 grams.

The sweep didn't stop at just narcotics. Officers also seized about $7,977 in cash alongside various drug-peddling paraphernalia, including bags, gloves, masks, cutting agents, and other drug-related gear. Authorities said that the bust was the result of months of investigative work by the drug units and the DEA, targeting the flow of illegal drugs within Boston's neighborhoods.

All five men now face serious time with charges of trafficking class A and B substances and are slated for arraignment in Boston Municipal Court. Press releases have not yet detailed any of men's lawyers or when exactly the arraignments will take place. The successful operation strikes a significant blow to local drug operations, signaling law enforcement's ongoing commitment to combat the tides of illegal narcotics sweeping through the city's streets.