Upper Merion arrest leads DA to warn public about counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, heroin, etc

Today Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Upper Merion Township Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police Thomas M. Nolan announced the arrest of Leon M. Wright, 33, of Philadelphia, on felony charges of Possession With Intent to Deliver, Dealing in the Proceeds of Unlawful Activity, Person Not to Possess a Firearm, Receiving Stolen Property and related charges.

This arrest led Steele to warn the public about irregular sized, blue pills imprinted with “K | 9” that still may be circulating in the area. Pills recovered during Wright’s arrest were tested by NMS Labs and were found to contain fentanyl, heroin, and Levomethorphan, all illegal substances, as well as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, caffeine and other non-controlled substances.

“Drug traffickers like this defendant who sell what they say are prescription opioid pills can actually be selling cheap fentanyl, heroin and other illegal substances pressed into molds and made to look like legitimate opioid pills—but they are much stronger and much deadlier. People buying these poisons need to be very, very careful,” said DA Steele. “Our detectives recently responded to an overdose death of a young woman who thought she bought and consumed an ecstasy pill and in fact, lab reports reflected the purchased pills were actually fentanyl.”

Police conducted surveillance on Wright and according to the notice he was observed conducting “numerous” drug sales near LA Fitness and Wegmans with the King of Prussia Town Center. The investigation found he also operated out of a residence in the 500 block of South Goddard Drive in King of Prussia.