BIDDEFORD —Police seized two pounds of crack cocaine, a “substantial” amount of heroin, six handguns, $27,000 in cash and arrested three men following a year-long investigation into what authorities are calling a large scale drug network operating in Biddeford and Saco.
Taken into custody was Eric Adams, 38, of Waterbury, Connecticut, and Obrian Barrett, 29, and Todd Milliken, 35, both of Biddeford. All three are charged with Class A felony trafficking in scheduled drugs.
The arrests that took place on Jan. 6 and 7 were announced Friday night. Law enforcement officials said additional arrests are anticipated.
The combined volume of the cocaine seized in two locations – a Saco hotel room and an Arundel storage unit – was enough to provide 2,120 doses and the amount of heroin seized was enough to provide 920 doses, according to figures provided by law enforcement.
“The arrests and seizures is another example of out-of-state drug distributors transporting large amounts of drugs into Maine and selling them through local dealers,” said Maine Drug Enforcement Agency Commander Scott J. Pelletier in a statement.
For the past year, agents from the MDEA York District Task Force, the FBI Southern Maine Gang Task Force and the New England HIDTA (high intensity drug trafficking area) conducted an investigation into a large scale heroin and crack cocaine distribution network operating in greater Biddeford and Saco, said Maine Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland.
“Drug agents say Adams provided heroin and crack cocaine he obtained out of state to Barrett and Milliken as well as others, which was then sold throughout Biddeford and Saco,” said McCausland. “As part of the investigation, agents conducted undercover purchases of heroin and crack from the three men.”
Armed with warrants, agents arrested Adams and Milliken Wednesday in a room at the Hampton Inn on Industrial Park Road in Saco, in a room that was rented to Barrett, according to McCausland. Agents allegedly found Milliken with a loaded handgun, crack cocaine and heroin. A search of the room turned up 260 grams of crack, 40 grams of heroin, and $27,000, which police believe was proceeds from drug sales. The two men were taken to York County Jail.
Barrett was arrested and taken to jail without incident Thursday by Biddeford Police after the vehicle he was a passenger in was stopped on Boulder Way in Biddeford.
Bail for each of the men was set at $150,000.
Agents then searched a storage unit at Atlantic Mini Storage on Route 1 in Arundel, which police suspect was used to process and store large quantities of the drugs. Seized from the storage unit was approximately 800 grams of crack cocaine, 52 grams of heroin and 5 handguns.
Assisting in the investigation were representatives from the U.S. Marshal’s Southern Maine Violent Crime Task Force, Biddeford Police Department’s Street Crime Unit, and Saco and Old Orchard Beach police departments.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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