Large-Scale Pill Trafficking Operation Ran Out Of Falls Twp. Facility, Authorities Say

Law enforcement announced Friday afternoon that they have broken up a ring that distributed hundreds of thousands of illegal opioids and other pills in the region.

Bensalem police, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, and the FBI Fort Washington’s office briefed reporters on their efforts to dismantle the “criminal organization” that stole drugs that were set to be disposed at the Wheelabrator Falls on New Ford Mill Road in Falls Township.

As of Friday, two people, whose names were not released, had been charged relating to the case and multiple suspects were being eyed by police and federal agents, authorities said. Bensalem Director of Public Safety Fred Harran declined to name those who were charged due to the sensitive and ongoing nature of the case, but he said they were not employees of the facility.

The ring, which consisted of a small amount of lower-level Wheelabrator Falls employees who have not yet been charged, would snatch pills that were delivered by pharmaceutical companies for destruction as part of Wheelabrator Falls’ special waste facility. The pills would be put on a conveyor belt for destruction but the crooked employees would knock them off, remove them from the facility, and later resell them to drug dealers, including ones connected to gangs, Harran said.

Pills connected to the thefts have been traced to various areas across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, authorities said.

The pills, which included oxycontin and adderall, that were shipped to Wheelabrator Falls were damaged, flawed, or expired and were to be destroyed, Harran explained.

With bags of drugs spread across a table, officials showed off the more than 200,000 pills they recovered. Harran said the street value of the drugs were estimated to be about $1.2 million.

Although the investigation remains ongoing, it does not appear that the issue involved the majority of employees or higher-level staff at Wheelabrator Falls. Harran said the company has been forthcoming and altered policies to avoid future theft of drugs meant for disposal.

The public safety director told reporters that similar crimes are likely being committed at special waste facilities across the country and he wanted to warn the public.

The investigation into the drugs is large scale and crosses state lines, according to Jim Christie, supervisory special agent for the FBI’s Fort Washington resident agency.

Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub noted the size of the bust and said it will take the pills off the illegal market.

Bensalem police said the investigation kicked off last November when a patrol officer pulled over a driver at Route 1 and Old Lincoln Highway. The officer smelled marijuana and figured something was afoot. After finding some pills and a small amount of marijuana, police dug deeper until the drug ring was uncovered.

Harran said if marijuana had been legalized the officer would not have uncovered the drug bust. He said “drugs are bad and they’re killing people everyday.”

The corporate office for Wheelabrator was not immediately available for comment.