Cops: Man Dealt ‘Large Quantity’ of Fentanyl Out of Toms River Motel Room

Farid Brown (Photo: Ocean County Jail)

A suspected drug dealer is behind bars, charged with distributing the powerful opiate painkiller fentanyl out of a Toms River motel room.

Farid Brown, 24, of Philadelphia, was identified as being an alleged supplier of heroin who would travel to Toms River regularly to distribute quantities of the drug, said Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office spokesman Al Della Fave. On Dec. 28, 2016, he said, detectives learned that Brown was staying in a room located at the Howard Johnson Motor Lodge off Hooper Avenue. That night, members of the Toms River Police Department’s Emergency Services Unit executed a no-knock search warrant on room 135 of the motel and recovered approximately 40 grams of a white powder believed to be heroin in raw form as well as in pre-packaged individual dosage units. Detectives also recovered drug paraphernalia such as rubber bands, hundreds of new unused wax folds, a scale and a small spoon often associated with the packaging and distribution of heroin, Della Fave said.

The recovered white powder in both raw, unpackaged form and the pre-packaged folds was originally believed to have been heroin, but the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department CSI Lab tested the substance and found it to be fentanyl, which is often mixed with heroin or dealt alongside it. Fentanyl has proven responsible for dozens of deaths in Ocean County during 2016, as it can increase a heroin addict’s normal dose and lead to an overdose, officials have said.

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“The dedication and commitment of the Detectives of both the Special Operations Group and the Toms River Police Department are second to none,” said Capt. Jack Sramaty of the prosecutor’s office. “As a team, the Prosecutor’s Office along with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners will continue to relentlessly identify, investigate and prosecute the dealers whose illegal activities are impacting Ocean County.”

Along with Brown, Ganiel L. Howard, 28, of Philadelphia, was also arrested during the motel raid.

Brown, of Callowhill Street, was charged with possession of fentanyl, possession of over one half ounce with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels set bail at $150,000 cash. Brown was subsequently lodged in the Ocean County Jail.

Howard, of North 58th Street, was charged with conspiracy to possess fentanyl over one half ounce with intent to distribute. He was released on a summons pending future court dates.