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A joint law enforcement operation out of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, recently led to the arrest of 10 individuals, including a notorious drug “kingpin,” in what has been described as the largest cocaine bust in the county’s history.
Operation Blues Clues, led by the Anne Arundel County Police Department in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Unit, culminated in the seizure of $2 million worth of cocaine, along with significant quantities of other drugs and firearms.
Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown commended the efforts of law enforcement at a press conference.
“We are determined to disrupt the trafficking of drugs and illegal guns that threaten the safety of our neighborhoods. I want to commend the members of the Anne Arundel County Police Department and the DEA for their tireless effort and commitment to protect our communities,” Brown said.
According to officials, the months-long investigation targeted drug traffickers operating in and around the Severn and Glen Burnie areas. Detectives identified and tracked multiple individuals involved in the distribution of controlled substances, observing numerous hand-to-hand drug transactions.
Utilizing wiretaps, authorities intercepted communications discussing the distribution of large amounts of drugs. Law enforcement then obtained and executed search and seizure warrants at the residences of several suspects.
Among the individuals arrested were Drameek Wallace, 23, of Severn; Kirk Nowlin, 32, of Glen Burnie; Raymond Eggleston, 63, of Severn; Charles Thomas, 35, of Baltimore; Maurice Dorsey, 42, of Glen Burnie; Donna Carpenter, 33, of Glen Burnie; and Darryl Henson, 45, of Severn. Detectives also recovered substantial quantities of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and firearms during the searches.
The breakthrough in the investigation came when detectives traced the supply source for the drug dealers, which led them to Maurice Dorsey and Darryl Henson, who were allegedly obtaining cocaine from Clayton Mooring, 42, of Glen Burnie, identified as the “kingpin” cocaine distributor in the county.
Further investigation revealed that Mooring was importing large quantities of cocaine from Houston, Texas. The drugs were concealed in vehicles shipped on car carriers, and on April 7, Anne Arundel County police intercepted one such vehicle containing approximately 17 kilograms of cocaine destined for Mooring’s business in Glen Burnie. Notably, the packages of cocaine were cleverly sewn into the seat cushions of the car.
A subsequent search at Mooring’s business led to the seizure of an additional 1.8 kilograms of cocaine, bringing the total value of the confiscated cocaine to $2 million if sold uncut.
In addition to the cocaine, 400 grams of heroin, 360 grams of fentanyl and 67 pounds of cannabis — along with other fentanyl-like substances, methamphetamine, and drugs similar MDMA — were seized.
Police also acquired a total of 21 firearms, including two stolen handguns and a “ghost gun.” The 10 individuals now face a range of charges, including conspiracy to distribute drugs, possession with intent to distribute and firearms offenses.
“This significant seizure of illegal narcotics and firearms has saved countless lives in Anne Arundel County,” Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad stated. “I am extremely proud of our investigators and the collaboration from our federal, state and local partners as they navigated every nuance of this complex case. I thank the DEA, Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN), the Office of the State’s Attorney and the Office of the Attorney General for their partnership and collaboration.”
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