Federal agents raid suspected fentanyl pill mill in Belmont, the Bronx
BELMONT, Bronx (WABC) -- Federal agents and police executed a search warrant at a suspected fentanyl pill mill in the Bronx on Thursday.
The raid was conducted around 4 p.m. at a home on Beaumont Avenue in the Belmont section, just around the corner from a day care.
Neighbors said they heard smoke bombs go off followed by federal agents moving into the house.
"I heard two bombs that they threw off and then they said everybody against the wall," neighbor Ray Rodriguez said.
The NYPD, New York State Police, Homeland Security and DEA agents were all on the scene executing the search warrant.
The agents going in and out were all wearing HAZMAT suits and face masks covered head to toe.
Law enforcement officers and agents found fentanyl, other drugs and several pill press machines inside this home. Officials say three full pill presses were recovered. A fourth was found, but it was in pieces.
The smallest amount of fentanyl is up to 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more than morphine.
Sources say at least four men were arrested.
The home doesn't stand out in any way and looks like any other home on the block.
Neighbors told Eyewitness News that nothing about the home ever stood out. In fact, they don't even remember ever seeing anyone living there.
It's why they are all the more concerned that this was happening across the street from them right under their noses. They are even more concerned especially after the recent fentanyl busts here in the Bronx.
"This is very upsetting," neighbor Theresa Pinto said. "To be so close to a home. You wouldn't even imagine that this is happening from there because we never seen it. We never seen any craziness going in and out."
In addition to a day care around the corner, there are lots of kids in this neighborhood, as this is a residential part of the borough.
"Of course, I'm concerned," neighbor Maria Vazquez said. "I got grandkids you know. And you know what happened with that day care."
It comes amid a recent string of fentanyl-related busts in the Bronx, including at Divino Nino day care where one child was killed due to fentanyl exposure.
This is the third troubling discovery in this borough in less than a month, with the recent being a discovered in Kingsbridge Heights.
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