(PERRYVILLE, MD) – Troopers from the Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division arrested a Perryville man suspected of operating a drug trafficking operation as part of a months-long, combined law enforcement investigation in Cecil County, Maryland.
The accused is identified as Asante Anderson, 50, from Perryville, Maryland. Anderson is charged with possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, and other related crimes. Anderson was taken before the Cecil County District Court Commissioner for an initial hearing and later transported to the Cecil County Detention Center where he is currently being held without bail.
Since June 2025, the Maryland State Police Strategic Operations Group North (MSP SOG) with assistance from the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General have been working to combat drug overdoses and drug activity at the Perry Point Veterans Medical Campus located in Cecil County, Maryland. Since the inception of this collaboration, Troopers and Agents have identified numerous suspects, none of whom are veterans, trafficking drugs onto the Perry Point campus for resale.
During the fall of 2025, information gleaned during the investigation led to a suspect, later identified as Anderson, as the supply source for illegal drugs. Police believe he was a resident at the Perry Point Campus selling narcotics to veterans.
On January 27, 2026 at approximately 6:50 p.m., investigators with the MSP Strategic Operations Group-North, Cecil County Drug Task Force, Elkton Police Department Street Level Crimes Unit, MSP JFK Highway Barrack, MSP Highway Gun Violence Task Force, and a Special Agent with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General conducted a traffic stop on Anderson’s vehicle, a black 2011 Honda Pilot, at the main entrance to the Perry Point Veterans Medical Campus. Anderson was arrested on scene without incident.
As part of the ongoing investigation, authorized search and seizure warrants, were served for residences on campus, for Anderson’s vehicle, and for Anderson himself. Police recovered suspected cocaine, digital scales, smoking devices, several suspected MDMA pills and other items believe to be connected to the drug operation.
This investigation and operation were supported in part by the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN). The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy (GOCPP) supplies grant funding and strategic assistance to MCIN member sites. These resources enable the identification, disruption, and collaboration and data sharing, contributing to a safer Maryland for all.
This investigation remains active and ongoing.
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