Five Maryland men face charges after investigators busted what they said was a major drug operation.
Dwayne Booze, 48, of Baltimore, along with several members of his family, is accused of distributing cocaine, heroin and marijuana and “enough fentanyl to kill millions of Marylanders,” according Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh.
Timothy Booze, 51, of Baltimore; Maurice Dotson, 47, of Severn; Michael Booze, 27, of Glen Burnie; and Thomas Booze, 31, of Glen Burnie, all face charges that include participating in a criminal organization, conspiracy to distribute drugs, possession with intent to distribute and firearm-related counts. Dwayne Booze is charged with being a drug kingpin.
“Often times you’ll hear us say, ‘If you see something, say something.’ This case began with a simple tip from a concerned citizen,” Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal Awad said at a news conference on Wednesday.
Frosh said that tip led to an intensive 10-month investigation in which detectives witnessed dozens of hand-to-hand drug transactions in multiple jurisdictions and intercepted communications over a wiretap that confirmed large amounts of illegal drugs were being distributed.
“They were using two auto body shops as fronts. One located in Baltimore City, one located in Anne Arundel County,” said Frosh. Those shops are Xclusive Services of Baltimore and Furnace Branch Auto of Glen Burnie.
Based on the investigation, the Organized Crime Unit in the Office of the Attorney General, along with Anne Arundel County Police, obtained search warrants for 20 locations around the state, according to a news release.
More than five kilograms of fentanyl, more than 500 grams of heroin, over seven kilograms of cocaine and cocaine base and nine firearms were seized. Police said they located a sophisticated marijuana grow operation located at the Baltimore City auto body shop, with more than 400 marijuana plants, as well.
“The amount of fentanyl alone seized could have killed 2.5 million Marylanders,” said Yesim Karaman, chief of staff of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services.
Investigators said the drug operation started at least as early as February 2021 and continued through December.
The defendants’ cases will be handled in Anne Arundel County.
