WORCESTER—A Worcester man is facing federal charges after investigators say he tried to distribute methamphetamine disguised as children’s toys—and had the equipment to press illicit pills at home.
Tong Tran, 34, was charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and made his initial appearance in federal court in Boston on Tuesday before Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
The charges stem from an incident last fall in which Tran was allegedly caught mailing a suspicious package from a Worcester post office. According to federal authorities, the box contained about 2.4 kilograms of orange pills hidden inside toy packaging. The pills later tested positive for methamphetamine, and investigators say a fingerprint on the wrapping materials matched Tran.
Federal agents searched Tran’s home on April 14 and found equipment consistent with the illegal production of pills, including a pill press, dyes, a binding agent, and other tools. The search also turned up 3.3 kilograms of methamphetamine and approximately $8,000 in cash, according to the statement.
If convicted, Tran faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and at least three years of supervised release.
The investigation involved several agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Auburn Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
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