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AG: 24 kilos of drugs, 14 arrested in major drug ring takedown

BOSTON — BOSTON (AP) - Authorities in Massachusetts have arrested 14 people and seized more than 24 kilograms (53 pounds) of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine in the bust of a major drug trafficking ring.

State Attorney General Maura Healey said Thursday it's the biggest takedown of a major opioid trafficking operation in the history of her office.

"As a result of this operation, we dismantled a major drug trafficking operation in the northeast region of this country," Healey said.

"It represents hundreds of thousands of lethal doses of drugs that we have kept from affecting communities in our state."

Authorities arrested 12 people Wednesday and seized $100,000 in cash and four guns during a series of raids in Lawrence and Methuen. Those raids occurred at 14 different locations across the two cities. Two people were arrested previously.

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The arrests were the result of a two-year federal, state and local investigation launched by special agents at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency office in Manchester, New Hampshire, who sought the source of drugs coming into that state. More than 100 officers were involved in the major bust.

"A large scale fentanyl drug trafficking organization operating in and around Lawrence, Mass. and responsible for distributing kilo quantities to the citizens of New Hampshire and Massachusetts," said John Delena, the Associate Special Agent in charge of the DEA in New England, describing the scale of the operation.

Healey said the investigation used high-tech surveillance techniques as well as traditional law enforcement methods. She reiterated how fighting opioids is one of her office's biggest priorities right now.