A Delaware man is facing multiple felony charges after detectives seized more than 3,000 bags of suspected heroin/fentanyl, crack cocaine, and a loaded handgun during a drug investigation.
New Castle County Police say detectives assigned to its Drug and Human Trafficking Investigations Team began investigating the suspect, identified as 29-year-old D’Andre Murphy of Wilmington, in July 2026. They suspected Murphy of distributing narcotics throughout New Castle County.
Then, on Sunday, Oct. 11, detectives executed search warrants at two separate locations as part of the investigation, police say. The first search took place in the 500 block of West 7th Street in New Castle, where detectives located and arrested Murphy.
The second search warrant was executed in the 100 block of North DuPont Street in Wilmington. During the searches, police say investigators recovered roughly 3,165 bags of suspected heroin/fentanyl, 89 grams of crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded handgun.
The Searches
Detectives seized multiple suspected controlled substances and the loaded firearm. The street value of the narcotics was not specified in the news release.
The handgun also became part of the case against Murphy, who faces separate charges related to possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony and possessing a deadly weapon as a person prohibited from doing so.
The Charges
After his arrest, Murphy was transported to New Castle County Police Headquarters, where he was charged with two felony counts each of possession with intent to deliver a Tier 3 controlled substance and possession of a Tier 3 controlled substance.
Murphy was also charged with one felony count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, one felony count of possession of a deadly weapon by a person prohibited, and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Delaware law states that possession of a controlled substance in a Tier 3 quantity and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in a Tier 3 quantity are both Class B felonies under code 4752. The state defines the Tier 3 threshold as 5 grams or more of heroin or a mixture containing heroin and 25 grams or more of cocaine or a mixture containing cocaine. Police reported seizing 89 grams of crack cocaine but did not specify the weight of the suspected heroin/fentanyl.
$128,000 Cash Bail Set
Police say Murphy was committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution after failing to post $128,000 in cash bail. He was also arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 7.
Court records show that Murphy is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 20 at 8:30 a.m.
Murphy is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.