Taunton woman charged with trafficking opioids in her bra – News – The Taunton Daily Gazette, Taunton, MA

TAUNTON — A Taunton woman was busted for drug trafficking last Friday, after police say they confiscated nearly 85 grams of suspected heroin or fentanyl she was carrying in her bra.

Justine Ladetto, 32, 52 Plain St., was charged with single counts of trafficking heroin/fentanyl; conspiracy to violate a drug law; and distribution of a Class A controlled substance.

Police say Ladetto was arrested in the early afternoon on Weir Bridge after engaging in a drug transaction with Jonathan Teixeira, who subsequently was issued a court summons for conspiracy to violate drug laws and possession of a Class A drug.

Ladetto was nabbed as result of surveillance that day by three detectives near the Atlantic Café, which sits adjacent to Weir Bridge, police said.

Police said Ladetto became noticeably nervous when informed that a request had been made for a female officer to assist at the scene.

Ladetto at one point allegedly admitted she was carrying either heroin or fentanyl in her bra.

Police said she first removed a glassine baggie containing 15 small bags, each of which contained half a gram of either fentanyl or heroin.

She then, police said, reached into the left side of her bra and removed a large glassine baggie containing a large amount of a brown, powdery substance suspected of being either heroin or fentanyl.

Police say they subsequently determined that the bag and its contents weighed 76.5 grams.

The penalty for being convicted of trafficking at least 36 but less than 100 grams of a Class A substance, which includes both heroin and fentanyl, is a minimum of five years in state prison.

Police say when they asked Ladetto where she was taking such a large amount of heroin or fentanyl, she at first stated that she doesn’t like to leave it at home, because she doesn’t trust her roommate.

When an officer told her he suspected that she was in the process of making a delivery, Ladetto allegedly smiled and stated that “I can’t tell ya everything.”

Ladetto later posted $1,000 bail at her arraignment in Taunton District Court.

Fentanyl is an opioid painkiller that can easily be more than 50 times stronger than heroin.