OCEAN CITY, Md - Two people have been arrested and are being held without bond by the Ocean City Police Department Narcotics Unit for allegedly distributing heroin and fentanyl in the Ocean City and Worcester County area.
OCPD says through a coordinated investigation, they discovered that the two suspects (a 36-year-old man and a 50-year-old man both from Berlin, MD) regularly traveled to Philadelphia to get heroin to sell locally. OCPD says they followed their car as it went towards Pennsylvania, handing off the surveillance to the Philadelphia Police Department once the two suspects entered the Kensington area.
Once the pair returned to Maryland, the Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team says they pulled over the two, at which point both suspects were arrested. They say that both of the suspects have been charged with intent to distribute schedule 1 narcotic (2 counts), and controlled dangerous substance- not marijuana (3 counts). They are both being held without bond.
Ocean City Police say that through several search warrants, they found and seized 276 bags of fentanyl/heroin, around one gram of cocaine, various scheduled perscription pills, $800 cash, cell phones, and a vehicle.
OCPD would like to remind people that fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. According to the CDC, it is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the United States. Even in small doses, it can be deadly.
If you think someone is overdosing, call 911 immediately, administer naloxone if available, try to keep the person awake and breathing, lay the person on their side to prevent choking, and stay with the person until medical assistance arrives. The Worcester County Health Department offers virtual Narcan training, for more information call the Prevention Program at 410-632-1100. If you or someone you know is struggling, treatment is available. While no single treatment method is right for everyone, recovery is possible, and help is available for opioid addiction.
OCPD says that if you see something suspicious, or have concerns about criminal activity in Ocean City, you should reach out to them at their Tip Line (410-520-5136), emailing them (crimetips@oceancitymd.gov), or contact the police department directly (410-723-6610).
