State Wide Effort to Stop Heroin Distribution Leads to Arrest

As part of an on-going state wide effort focused on the distribution of heroin , Maine Drug Enforcement and Portland Police arrested a New York man today for Class “A” Aggravated Trafficking in Schedule W Drugs (Heroin).

Arrested was 25-year-old Bobby A. Forte of the Bronx, New York for, Class A, Aggravated Trafficking in Schedule W Drugs (Heroin) and a federal warrant charging Fugitive from Justice out of New York, said officials.

For the past three months, agents assigned to MDEA’s Cumberland District Task Force have been investigating the sale of heroin in Greater Portland by a New York based group. Agents identified several people who delivered and sold heroin to local heroin users and agents made several undercover purchases of heroin .

Thursday at around 9 am, agents and officers of the Portland Police Department arrested Forte on the Western Promenade . Forte, who is on federal probation in New York for weapons charges, was arrested on an outstanding arrest warrant out of New York for pending weapons and drug trafficking charges, officials said.

Seized from Forte was approximately 18 grams (180 doses) of heroin packaged for resale, with a street value of $3,000.

Forte was transported to the Cumberland County Jail where he is being held as a Fugitive from Justice with no bail. His bail was set at $50,000 cash on the new drug charges.

Other New York members working with Forte as well as several local people have been identified and charges against them will be reviewed by the Maine Attorney General’s Office for presentation to a future grand jury.