4 Men Arrested In Major Heroin Trafficking Organization

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A major heroin trafficking ring is busted by Maryland State Police. The massive operation stretched from Baltimore County to the Eastern Shore.

Christie Ileto has more on how it worked.

A major drug trafficking organization known for pushing lethal heroin across the state is unrigged.

"These people were the head of the organization," said Greg Shipley, Maryland State Police.

Maryland State Police say Bryon Drummond, Joseph Dean and Taylor Gibson from the Eastern Shore along with Gary Kess, Jr. from Baltimore County are charged as drug kingpins. Police caught them with large amounts of heroin.

In fact, seven handguns, more than 230 grams of heroin, $42,000 in cash and eight vehicles were found following their arrests.

Investigators believe Kess was the source for the heroin, pushing the drugs from his Windsor Mill neighborhood to a drug organization all the way on the Eastern Shore.

Detectives say the four would meet in Anne Arundel County as a halfway point. Kess supplied the drugs to the other three, who would then drive it back to the Eastern Shore and distribute it.

"What this is an example of is how drugs are transported around the state. And most are transported by vehicle," Shipley said.

Health officials say the deadly venom is running rampant across the state, spurring an 18 percent increase in heroin-related deaths.

In an interview with WJZ, Maryland mom Melissa Eppinger remembers her son's overdose.

"Kind of in and out of consciousness. I noticed his lips turning blue," she said.

And as police dismantle this latest drug trafficking organization, they say it's just the tip of the iceberg to a bigger problem.

All four suspects are being held without bond. An additional suspect was arrested by Delaware State Police.

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