Fall River Police seize over $100,000 in cash, 118 doses of fentanyl, and more in Wednesday drug bust

Fall River Police arrested two city men on drug charges Wednesday.

According to Detective John Robinson, at 5:00 p.m., Detectives from the Fall River Police Departments Vice and Intelligence Unit were on pre-search warrant surveillance in the area of 143 Jencks Street in Fall River. The targets of the search warrant were Elton Vultao, Edward Botelho, and a 43-year-old female, all from Fall River.

At approximately 6:30 p.m., Detectives observed the female target exit the residence that was under surveillance. FRPD approached, identified, and detained her. Detectives entered the building and made their way to the third floor. Detectives could hear a chair being moved across the floor followed by heavy footsteps walking away from the door. Detectives knocked and announced their presence and purpose and forced entry through the door fearing the occupants may be arming themselves.

Inside the apartment, Detectives observed Vultao exiting out the front entry door, where he stopped and dumped several pink glassine baggies down the staircase, according to Robinson. Detectives located the final target, Botelho, hiding behind the bathroom door. At his feet was a trash can containing 25 pink glassine baggies containing a white powdery substance. Robinson stated that these baggies along with the seventy pink glassine baggies seized from the front stairway, contained a white powdery substance believed to contain fentanyl.

Located in Vultaos’ bedroom were several large stacks of cash totaling over $38,000. In another bedroom, Detectives also located a wall safe containing several large stacks of cash and a locked banker’s bag, which when unlocked, contained more cash. In all over $56,000 in cash was confiscated from the safe. Vultao also had over $9,000 cash and almost 7 grams of Fentanyl in his pockets.

Mannitol (a cutting agent), 45 pink baggies of suspected fentanyl, scales, empty pink baggies, and rubber bands were also confiscated during the search.

In all, over $100,000 in cash, 118 doses of suspected fentanyl, 6.99 grams of bagged suspected fentanyl, a bottle of mannitol, and three scales were confiscated along with new in the box pink baggies and rubber bands.

Lead Detective Gary Barboza was assisted by Detective Sergeant William Falandys, Heather Moniz, Richard Aguiar, Kwin Silva, Matthew Mendes, Guy Furtado, Eric Copsetta, Paul McGuire, Josh Robillard, and Gregory Homen.

Chief of Police Jeffrey Cardoza stated; “I want to recognize the outstanding investigation conducted by the FRPD Vice and Intelligence Unit, which was lead by Detective Gary Barboza. We will continue our efforts to ferret out those that deal drugs in our neighborhoods.”

Vultao, 41, of Jencks Street, Fall River was arrested on a charge of Possession of a Class A substance with intent to Distribute and Botelho, 42, of East Main Street, Fall River, was charged with Possession of a Class A Substance.

The female was not charged.