WILMINGTON, N.C. (WNCN) — After several months of overdoses from drugs laced with fentanyl, deputies at the North Carolina coast made a major bust last week.
The investigation into counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl lasted several months, according to the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office in Wilmington.
“There have been numerous overdoses linked to similar type of pills over the past year,” a news release from the sheriff’s office said.
On Thursday, vice detectives searched two mobile homes in the county west of Carolina Beach Road.
During the searches, deputies seized 1,081 “counterfeit pressed oxycodone pills,” the news release said.
More than $130,000 in cash and drug paraphernalia was also found and seized.
Salvatore Joseph DeFonte was arrested and charged with several felonies. He is being held in the New Hanover County Detention Facility under a $10,255,000 secured bond.
DeFonte’s charges include trafficking by selling, trafficking by delivering, trafficking by manufacturing, trafficking by transportation, trafficking by possession, possession with intent to sell/deliver schedule II, schedule III and schedule IV controlled substances, the news release said.