Heroin bust in Bucksport derails delivery into Hancock County
BUCKSPORT - The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office announce the arrest of a Blue Hill man charged early this morning as he attempted to smuggle a significant amount of heroin into Hancock County from out of state, according to a news release from the Maine Department of Public Safety.
On information generated by Hancock County Deputies, investigators assigned to MDEA’s Downeast Task Force in Ellsworth opened a heroin trafficking investigation on Justin Horton, 29, of Blue Hill. This investigation consisted of the undercover purchase of the drug from Horton, as well as extensive surveillance, the release said.
On Nov. 20, investigators learned that Horton would be travelling out of state to obtain a significant of amount of heroin for resale in Hancock County, police said. At approximately 4 a.m. Saturday morning, Nov. 21, in Bucksport, Hancock Sheriff’s Deputies, MDEA agents and the Bucksport Police stopped the vehicle Horton was driving as he was returning to Blue Hill.
Hidden within Horton’s vehicle, investigators located nearly 100 grams of heroin and $1,800 in cash, the release said.
The heroin seized was in bulk-form known as “fingers” and represents approximately 1,000 dosage units when processed into “bags” and sold on the street. A “bag” of heroin currently fetches approximately $30 in Hancock County.
Horton was arrested and charged with Class B Trafficking in Schedule W Drugs (heroin). These charges will likely be elevated to a Class A felony after review by an AAG prosecutor as the amount of the drugs seized is an aggravating factor.
In a joint statement, Hancock County Sheriff Scott Kane and MDEA Director Roy McKinney, state that the level of the opiate problem in Maine is stressing law enforcement resources. It is now more important than ever that all law enforcement agencies pool their resources in an effort to eradicate this drug from our communities. This investigation highlights the success of inter-agency cooperation. This investigation is continuing and more arrests are possible.
