New Jersey Man Gets 12 Years After Using Bitcoin to Pay Chinese Fentanyl Suppliers

A Passaic County man has been sentenced to 12 years in federal jail for his function in a large-scale fentanyl distribution and cash laundering conspiracy that concerned the usage of Bitcoin to pay abroad drug suppliers, in accordance to the newest press launch shared by the US Department of Justice.

William Panzera, 53, of North Haledon, New Jersey, was sentenced following his conviction for drug trafficking conspiracy and worldwide promotional cash laundering conspiracy.

Counterfeit Pills, Real Fentanyl

According to court docket paperwork and statements made in court docket, Panzera was a member of a drug trafficking group accountable for importing and distributing tons of of kilograms of fentanyl analogues and different managed substances. (*12*) said Panzera and his co-conspirators agreed to import and distribute fentanyl analogues, MDMA, methylone, and ketamine.

The medicine have been sourced from suppliers in China and have been distributed throughout New Jersey, each in bulk kind and as counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs that contained fentanyl analogues reasonably than respectable medicine.

Authorities stated the conspiracy resulted within the importation of greater than a metric ton of fentanyl-related substances and different medicine into the United States. To pay for the shipments, members of the group despatched tons of of hundreds of {dollars} to China utilizing a mixture of wire transfers and Bitcoin (BTC).

Panzera was convicted at trial in January 2025. The Justice Department acknowledged that eight different defendants linked to the case have beforehand pleaded responsible.

Fentanyl Trafficking on Dark Web

This case comes as a part of a broader crackdown on fentanyl trafficking and illicit drug networks coordinated by US and worldwide authorities. In May 2025, the Department of Justice announced the outcomes of Operation RapTor, a large-scale worldwide regulation enforcement initiative focusing on darkish net drug markets.

The operation led to the arrest of 270 people worldwide and the seizure of greater than $200 million in money and digital belongings.

According to the DOJ, the hassle centered on distributors, patrons, and directors concerned within the on-line trafficking of opioids, notably fentanyl, and different narcotics. Operation RapTor was carried out in coordination with regulation enforcement companies from 10 nations, together with the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, and Brazil, and was described as the most important takedown within the historical past of the company’s Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) workforce.

Authorities seized greater than two metric tons of medicine, together with 144 kilograms of fentanyl-laced substances, as well as to over 180 firearms. The investigation relied on intelligence gathered from beforehand dismantled darknet markets akin to Nemesis and Tor2Door. The operation additionally noticed the primary use of sanctions by the Office of Foreign Assets Control as a part of a JCODE motion.

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