Seven arrested so far in lengthy drug investigation in East Grand Forks

EAST GRAND FORKS, Minn. (Valley News Live) - Police have found more than 2,200 pills and thousands in cash through a lengthy drug investigation in the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks area.

On Wednesday, April 19, the Pine to Prairie Drug Task Force and Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force executed arrest warrants for 1st degree controlled substance distribution and 3rd degree murder. These arrests were the first round in a series of charges from an ongoing investigation of lethal M30 fentanyl pills.

The source of the pills was determined to be a group from Chicago and Minneapolis who had been sending multiple distributors to Fargo and the Grand Cities area on a rotational basis. Investigators say, as one person was arrested, others would fill their spots. The group would bring their pills to the area and stay with local distributors until they were sold out. They would then return back to the metro to re-supply.

In this piece of the investigation, law enforcement has seized more than 1,400 fentanyl pills, which have been selling for $40-$60 each for a street value of approximately $80,000.

As of April 22, the following have been arrested for charges ranging from murder to possession of fentanyl and fentanyl distribution:

• Stephanie Hageman of Grand Forks
• Joseph Redding of Minneapolis
• Summer Allery of Grand Forks
• Shaun Cole of East Grand Forks

On Wednesday, April, 20, the Pine to Prairie Drug Task Force and Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force executed a search warrant at 316 4th Street NW in East Grand Forks where they say two people were actively selling M30 fentanyl pills. They seized more than 800 pills and over $2,000.

Though more arrests and charges are likely, authorities arrested the following:

• Abdulahi Abdulkadir Farah of Minneapolis
• Mohamed Abdulgani Ahmed of East Grand Forks
• Jacob Gabriel Brunelle of Grand Forks

The three are facing charges which include selling a controlled substance, conspiracy to sell a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.

East Grand Forks Police say law enforcement in the region has been busy with responding to overdoses with the increased distribution of the lethal M30 fentanyl pills. The blue pills bearing the imprint “M30″ had resulted in multiple overdoses and deaths in the East Grand Forks - Grand Forks area.

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