Three people have been arrested in connection with an overdose in Silver Creek.
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced that 44-year old Leeladhar H. Tandel of Mobile, AL; 55-year old Barry M. Wright of Marietta, GA; and 56-year old Jesus Andon of St. Louis, MO; were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances. If found guilty, the charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the criminal complaint, the Buffalo Office of the Drug Enforcement Agency has been investigating online websites, including “MEDDZONLINE.COM,” which sell counterfeit pharmaceutical and controlled substances. The website has listed for sale medications such as Percocet, Adderall, Alprazolam, and Oxycodone. MEDDZONLINE.COM and related websites are believed to be part of a larger organized drug trafficking organization, operating domestically and internationally. After orders are received, the organization sends a bulk shipment of drugs via international mail, to a U.S. based bulk re-shipper, which are then sent to domestic re-shippers who are responsible for shipping out the individual orders via USPS to customers. These domestic re-shippers are paid by the drug trafficking organization for each package they mail out to customers.
In February 2024, the DEA began investigating a non-fatal overdose in the Silver Creek area, where the victim purchased drugs five separate times from the MEDDZONLINE.COM website, including Valium, Ambien, and Tapentadol. Payment was made to an individual in Pakistan. This exchange shows the flow of money back to the head of the drug trafficking organization overseas in Pakistan, even though the website advertises the drugs as originating in the USA and shipping within the USA. Subsequently, investigators conducted several controlled purchases through the websites operated by the head of the drug trafficking organization. One of the controlled purchases identified defendant Tandel as a co-conspirator operating in the Mobile, Alabama, area. Law enforcement believes he is a distributor of illegal controlled substances and/or counterfeit substances through the United States Postal Service. He is believed to have mailed at least 40 packages from Summerdale, Alabama, to locations across the country, including Buffalo.
During the investigation, law enforcement also conducted undercover purchases from defendant Wright in Georgia. Wright is also accused of shipping packages across the country, mailing out a total of 333 parcels containing a variety of Schedule II and Schedule IV drugs. Defendant Andon is accused of shipping 41 packages of Ambien pills from St. Louis, Missouri to an individual identified as C.B.
If members of the public have purchased substances from any of the following websites, they should not ingest the substances and contact law enforcement:
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