By: Richard L. Smith
Two individuals have been charged in connection with the possession and distribution of large quantities of fentanyl, with one of the suspects also facing a firearm-related charge, according to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice. 
U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced that Pablo Suruy Hernandez, 41, of Guatemala, and Giovanni Guzman, 41, of El Salvador, have been charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Additionally, Hernandez faces a charge of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Both men appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacey D. Adams in Newark federal court on February 10, 2025, and were ordered to remain in custody.
According to court documents and statements made in court, federal law enforcement officials launched an investigation in January 2025 after receiving intelligence that Hernandez was engaged in drug trafficking in New Jersey.
On January 16, 2025, Hernandez allegedly met with a confidential source to discuss the potential purchase of firearms, fentanyl, and cocaine.
Five days later, on January 21, Hernandez sold a firearm with an obliterated serial number to the confidential source.
On February 7, 2025, Hernandez and Guzman met with the same source to sell 100,000 fentanyl pills.
During the course of the operation, law enforcement seized approximately eleven kilograms of fentanyl and recovered $65,000 in cash from Hernandez’s residence.
The charges related to fentanyl distribution carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, with a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. 
The charge of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case remains under investigation by federal authorities.