Police: 2 arrested, 800 grams of fentanyl seized in drug bust

Officials seized 800 grams of the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl and arrested two Lawrence men in a Worcester drug bust.

Wendy Guzman, 39, and Orlando Veras-Ruiz, 36, were charged with fentanyl trafficking on June 14 as a result of a joint operation by state troopers assigned to the Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Massachusetts State Police Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team and Worcester police.

“This investigation has taken nearly a kilo of fentanyl off our streets and is just one step in our efforts to combat the opioid epidemic,” Attorney General Maura Healey said.

State police executed multiple search warrants at an apartment on Fairmont Avenue in Worcester, a green Toyota Highlander and a white BMW.

Veras-Ruiz gave a fake name and birthdate after he was arrested, calling himself Victor Rivera, court records show. Authorities said Guzman was found with 30 grams of fentanyl on him.

Guzman and Veras-Ruiz each pleaded not guilty to trafficking fentanyl in Worcester District Court on June 15 and Judge David Locke set bail at $750,000 cash each. A probable cause hearing has been set for July 13.

The arraignments follow the takedown of a major opioid trafficking network in Methuen and Lawrence, the prosecution of two Lawrence men charged with trafficking 5 kilograms of fentanyl and a separate fentanyl trafficking investigation in Lawrence.