More Details on Big A-B Heroin and Oxy Bust

 It began in Acton and Boxborough and ended in a parking lot in Framingham.

Following a months-long investigation into alleged drug distribution in Acton and Boxborough, law enforcement officials from an alphabet soup of agencies on Wednesday announced the arrest of two men on multiple charges, including conspiracy to violate the state’s drug laws.

On Tuesday, Sept. 24, Acton Patch reported the arrest of Frantz Cantave, 26, of 24 Thompson St., Hyde Park, who was charged with trafficking in more than 100 grams of heroin, trafficking in more than 18 grams of OxyContin and conspiracy.

Along with the arrest of Cantave, authorities revealed Wednesday, Kevin Jean, 24, of Lynn, was also arrested and charged with possession of a Class B substance (OxyContin) with intent to distribute and conspiracy.

Both men were arraigned in West Roxbury District Court on Sept. 19 and ordered to stay away from one another while the case is pending, according to a press release from the Suffolk District Attorney’s office.

The investigation that led to the arrests of Cantave and Jean last week began about two months ago in the suburban communities of Acton and Boxborough.

According to authorities, the Acton Police Department’s Drug Unit and detectives from Boxborough began investigating drug distribution in their communities, developing enough evidence to warrant State Police detectives and DEA agents to begin surveillance on Cantave, in anticipation that he would make a significant drug delivery Sept. 18 in Framingham.

From the Suffolk County DA’s press release:

That afternoon, they watched as Cantave and Jean exited Cantave’s residence, entered a black Jeep Cherokee, and began driving. Investigators tailed the men to Staples Drive in Framingham, where State Police and DEA special agents approached them. They recovered about 100 30mg tablets of OxyContin from Cantave, 30 30mg tablets of OxyContin from Jean, and a large quantity of cash from both men. After being advised of his Miranda rights, Cantave signed a consent form allowing investigators to search his home. There, troopers and special agents recovered an additional 700 OxyContin tablets and about 180 grams of heroin, along with a powdery substance believed to be a cutting agent and more currency. The total cash seizure was $70,951.

Officials from all agencies involved lauded the arrest for the success of interagency cooperation in getting dangerous drugs off of the streets.

Said Acton Police Chief Francis Widmayer: “These cases are excellent examples of how effective local, state and federal law enforcement agencies can be when they work together cooperatively in the common goal of eliminating drug abuse in our communities.”

Boxborough Chief Warren Ryder addressed the prevalence of heroin and Oxy in these suburban communities.

“Heroin is cheap, deadly and surging in popularity and is now an alarming problem in this area where it was once rare and is to blame for a growing number of arrests and overdoses,” Ryder said in the press release. “People can become addicted to prescription drugs such as OxyContin and Oxycodone thinking they are not dangerous and then move on to much cheaper and readily available heroin.”