TOWN OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Massachusetts man has been charged after he was caught with nearly 60 pounds of meth in the Town of Tonawanda.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York says 39-year-old Daren Lewis of Quincy, Mass. was arrested and charged for possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of meth.
Homeland Security investigators in Flagstaff, Ariz. say they received an alert regarding a suspicious cargo shipment from California heading to the Town of Tonawanda on July 10th.
On Monday, Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo and the Erie County Sheriff's Office investigated a cargo shipment in the Town of Tonawanda.
Investigators then stopped Lewis who was driving a U-Haul truck with the drugs on Sheridan Drive.
Authorities say they found 59.5 pounds of meth in the U-Haul, which is estimated at $2,700,000 in street value.
“While we often speak of the potentially deadly consequences of heroin and fentanyl use, methamphetamine can be just as dangerous, just as addictive, and in the end, just as deadly,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “The coordinated efforts by Homeland Security and our partners in local law enforcement have resulted in one of the largest seizures of methamphetamine ever in the Western District of New York and prevented this massive batch of poison from reaching our streets and wreaking havoc in our community.”
Lewis is expected to make an appearance before a judge at 10 a.m., Wednesday.
If convicted, Lewis faces a minimum of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.
