A year-long investigation into what authorities are calling a large-scale drug network operating in Biddeford and Saco has resulted in three arrests and the seizure of two pounds of crack cocaine, a “substantial” amount of heroin, six handguns and $27,000.
Taken into custody were Obrian Barrett, 29, and Todd Milliken, 35, both of Biddeford, and Eric Adams, 38, of Waterbury, Connecticut. All three are charged with Class A felony trafficking in scheduled drugs.
The arrests were made Wednesday and Thursday, and announced Friday night. Law enforcement officials said additional arrests are anticipated.
“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,” Maine Drug Enforcement Agency Commander Scott J. Pelletier said in a statement.
The combined volume of the cocaine seized from 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.
“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 Maine Public Safety spokesman Steve 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 that was rented to Barrett at the Hampton Inn on Industrial Park Road in Saco, according to McCausland. Agents found Milliken with a loaded handgun, crack cocaine and heroin, authorities say.
A search of the room turned up 260 grams of crack, 40 grams of heroin, and $27,000 in what police believe was proceeds from drug sales. The two men were taken to York County Jail.
On Thursday, Barrett was arrested and taken to jail by Biddeford Police after the vehicle in which he was a passenger was stopped on Boulder Way in Biddeford.
After making the arrests, agents searched a storage unit at Atlantic Mini Storage on U.S. Route 1 in Arundel, which police suspect was used to process and store large quantities of the drugs. Seized from the storage unit was about 800 grams of crack cocaine, 52 grams of heroin and five handguns.
All three men were still incarcerated as of this morning, a York County Jail official said. Bail for Adams has been set at $250,000; bail for Barrett has been set at $35,000 or $750,000 in real estate; and bail for Milliken has been set at $100,000 cash or $1 million in real estate.
The investigation involved agents from the Maine Drug Enforcement Administration York District Task Force, the FBI Southern Maine Gang Task Force and the New England High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. Assisting last week 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.
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