Philadelphia Drug Mill Fueled Jersey’s Deadly Fentanyl Crisis
Two men have been sentenced to five years in federal prison for operating a Philadelphia-based fentanyl production facility that supplied deadly opioids to communities across northern New Jersey. Emmanuel F. Almonte Mejia, 40, and Hector Luiz De La Cruz Nunez, 32, received 60-month sentences following an extensive investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark in coordination with multiple law enforcement agencies.
The sentencing, announced this week by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, marks a significant victory in the ongoing battle against fentanyl trafficking in the region. A third defendant, Loanny F. Duran Hiciano, 37, has also pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing for his role in the operation.

From Discovery to Arrest
According to ICE Homeland Security Investigations, the investigation began in February 2022 when law enforcement received intelligence about a drug trafficking organization using a private residence in the Philadelphia area to manufacture and distribute bulk quantities of fentanyl. The operation specifically targeted northern New Jersey communities with its deadly product.
The breakthrough in the case came on March 8, 2022, when officers conducting surveillance observed Nunez leaving the drug mill carrying a large, weighted bag. Investigators watched as he concealed the package in a clandestine compartment built into his vehicle before departing Philadelphia and heading toward New Jersey.
Law enforcement intercepted Nunez’s vehicle in Union, New Jersey, where they discovered nearly 400 individually wrapped bricks of fentanyl hidden in the secret compartment. According to court documents, Nunez admitted the drugs were destined for distribution throughout northern New Jersey.
The Scope of the Operation
“This case highlights our ongoing commitment to protecting the public from lethal drugs,” said HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, as reported by Shore News Network. The investigation revealed that the operation was a large-scale production facility capable of producing and packaging substantial quantities of fentanyl for street-level distribution.
Federal authorities described the facility as a “drug mill” — a term used for locations where bulk narcotics are processed, cut with other substances, and packaged for street-level sales. Such operations have become increasingly common as fentanyl, which is significantly more potent and profitable than heroin, has become the dominant opioid in the illicit drug market.
The amount of fentanyl seized during Nunez’s arrest represented thousands of potentially lethal doses. Public health experts note that just 2 milligrams of fentanyl — an amount barely visible to the naked eye — can be fatal to the average person.
Coordinated Law Enforcement Response
The successful prosecution resulted from close collaboration between multiple agencies, including HSI Newark, HSI Philadelphia, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, and the New Jersey State Police. This interagency approach has become increasingly necessary as drug trafficking organizations operate across state lines to distance their production facilities from their distribution networks.
“The defendant’s distribution of fentanyl into our communities reflects his blatant disregard for the public’s safety and well-being,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker when Nunez initially pleaded guilty. “At a time when overdose deaths linked to fentanyl are devastating American communities, we acknowledge today’s positive step toward justice, but recognize there is more to be done.”
Impact on the Opioid Crisis
The sentencing comes amid an ongoing fentanyl crisis that continues to claim thousands of lives annually across the United States. New Jersey has been particularly hard hit, with fentanyl involved in the majority of the state’s drug overdose deaths in recent years.
Public health officials have noted that fentanyl’s extreme potency — estimated to be 50 times stronger than heroin — makes it particularly dangerous. Even more concerning is that users often don’t know they’re consuming fentanyl, as it’s frequently mixed into other drugs or pressed into counterfeit prescription pills.
Law enforcement sources indicated that the fentanyl produced at this Philadelphia mill was primarily distributed in its recognizable form, packaged in glassine envelopes marked with brand names — a common practice among drug trafficking organizations to build “brand loyalty” among users.
Legal Consequences
Both Nunez and Almonte Mejia faced maximum penalties of 20 years in prison and fines of up to $1 million on each count. Their five-year sentences reflect federal guidelines and their guilty pleas. Following their prison terms, both will likely face deportation proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, who oversaw the prosecution, has consistently emphasized targeting fentanyl distributors as a top priority for his office, given the drug’s outsized role in fatal overdoses throughout the region.