Maine Law Enforcement Seizes Over 200 Grams Of Fentanyl

In their continuing effort to keep dangerous drugs from hitting the streets of Maine, members of Maine's Drug Enforcement Agency and local police in Caribou made a major bust in Aroostook County, seizing over one hundred thousand lethal doses of Fentanyl and a firearm during a raid last week.

According to the Maine Department of Public Safety, authorities executed a search warrant at a residence on Sweeden Street in Caribou when they say the items were discovered.

Drew Angerer, Getty Images

"On Thursday, May 7, 2026, following a month-long investigation into suspected drug trafficking activity at 206 Sweden Street in Caribou, agents with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency’s (MDEA) Aroostook Task Force, along with the Maine State Police Tactical Team, executed a search warrant at the Aroostook County residence.
As a result of the search, Agents located over 200ggw (gross weight) of fentanyl and a sawed-off 20-gauge shotgun."

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency says Fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine and that as little as 2 milligrams could be deadly to anyone.

The folks in Caribou allegedly had 200 grams.

Oleksandr Hruts

"Drug trafficking organizations typically distribute fentanyl by the kilogram. One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people...Illicit fentanyl, primarily manufactured in foreign clandestine labs and smuggled into the United States through Mexico, is being distributed across the country and sold on the illegal drug market. Fentanyl is being mixed in with other illicit drugs to increase the potency of the drug, sold as powders and nasal sprays, and increasingly pressed into pills made to look like legitimate prescription opioids."

As a result of the drug bust and subsequent investigation, five individuals from Caribou were arrested.

Jose and Ariel Rosado, both 49, along with 41-year-old Justin Murphy, 33-year-old Andrea Tranthum, and 26-year-old Tyana McLaughlin were taken to jail, and are facing charges of Aggravated (due to the weight of the substances found) Drug Trafficking.

Ariel Rosado, Murphy and Tranthum also face charges for violating their bail conditions.

Everyone except McLaughlin is being held on $10,000 cash bail. McLaughlin is being held on $1,000 cash bail.

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The investigation remains active, and law enforcement officials say they do expect to make more arrests as a result.

MoleQL

Also with the MDEA and Caribou Police, U.S. Border Patrol agents, and members of the Aroostook County Sheriff's Department.

Authorities urge Mainers who have knowledge or suspicions of drug trafficking in their communities to reach out to the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency by calling the tip line at 1-800-452-6457 or texting the letters MDEA to TIP411.

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