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NEWPORT, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Law enforcement agencies in Sullivan County have taken two men into custody after intercepting a large shipment of fentanyl believed to be bound for distribution in the region. The arrests mark a significant development in an ongoing investigation into drug trafficking networks operating between New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
According to a statement from the Newport Police Department, investigators had been monitoring the movement of illegal narcotics following a series of drug arrests late last year. Those prior arrests—part of Operation Granite Shield, a state-funded initiative to combat substance abuse—led authorities to suspect that large quantities of Fentanyl and other narcotics were being trafficked from Lawrence, MA, into the Newport and Claremont areas.
On Feb. 12, investigators from the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, alongside state and local law enforcement agencies, tracked two suspects traveling from Lawrence, MA, to Sullivan County. The suspects were pulled over by New Hampshire State Police on Interstate 89, where they were taken into custody. A search warrant executed on their vehicle revealed approximately 1,260 grams of suspected Fentanyl concealed inside.
The arrested individuals were identified as Ricardo Antonio Lara Guerrero, 28, and Jason Checo Severino, 24, both of Lawrence, MA. They are facing charges of possession of fentanyl and cocaine with intent to deliver, and falsifying physical evidence. Both are currently being held at the Merrimack County House of Corrections without bail pending their court appearance.
Authorities say this latest operation is part of a broader crackdown on drug trafficking in the region. Since the beginning of the year, the Granite Shield Alliance in Sullivan County has resulted in 24 felony drug arrests and the seizure of significant quantities of illicit substances, including over two kilograms of fentanyl, nearly 500 grams of Methamphetamine, and more than $22,000 in cash. Investigators have also confiscated multiple firearms and hundreds of illicit prescription pills, including counterfeit fentanyl tablets.
Local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies continue to pursue leads in the investigation, which remains active. Officials expect further arrests as they work to dismantle the networks responsible for funneling dangerous narcotics into New Hampshire communities.
Newport Police Chief Stephen A. Lee urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspected drug activity as authorities intensify their efforts to combat the crisis. “This operation demonstrates our commitment to keeping dangerous drugs out of our communities and holding traffickers accountable,” Lee said.
Law enforcement agencies involved in the operation include the Newport and Claremont Police Departments, Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, New Hampshire State Police, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, among others.