A man from Passaic County, William Panzera, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for his involvement in an extensive drug trafficking scheme involving fentanyl. This operation utilized Bitcoin to pay suppliers based in China. The U.S. Department of Justice issued a statement detailing the case, revealing the conspirators imported not only fentanyl analogues but also MDMA, methylone, and ketamine.

According to court documents, Panzera, aged 53 and residing in North Haledon, New Jersey, was part of an organization that distributed hundreds of kilograms of these substances. The drugs were shipped from China and were often disguised as pharmaceutical pills, which contained dangerous substitutes instead of genuine medicine.

Authorities have indicated that this conspiracy led to the importation of over one metric ton of fentanyl-related substances into the United States. Payments for the drugs were made using a combination of wire transfers and Bitcoin (BTC). Panzera was convicted back in January and is among nine individuals linked to the case who have already pleaded guilty.

Counterfeit Pills, Serious Risks

The investigation into Panzera’s activities is part of a wider effort to combat the fentanyl crisis and illicit drug sales online, especially with the rise of dark web marketplaces. Coordinated by U.S. and international law enforcement, recent initiatives have resulted in significant arrests and seizures.

The broader context is illustrated by the DOJ’s Operation RapTor, which successfully dismantled numerous fentanyl trafficking networks and led to 270 arrests worldwide, recovering more than $200 million in cash and assets. As opioid trafficking continues to rise, efforts to curb it remain intensively pursued by law enforcement globally.