POTSDAM – A Potsdam man is among 22 people charged in ‘Operation Pandora’s Box,’ a major police sting that targeted drugs and guns being shipped though the U.S. Postal Service.

Gary Haught, 44, was charged with attempted unlawful growing of cannabis.

His arrest was part of a larger operation, which captured 80 pounds of marijuana, 20 pounds of hash oil, 306 grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms, 4.4 ounces of MDMA, 980 tablets of Xanax, 2.2 ounces of cocaine, 20 grams of heroin, 93 hits of LSD, and one-quarter kilo of synthetic drugs.

Weapons seized in the operation included a semi-automatic rifle with two 30 round magazines, a .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle with two magazines, a .22 caliber semi-automatic assault rifle with three 30 round magazines, a 9 mm semi-automatic assault rifle and a .12 gauge pump action shotgun.

The operation also targeted shipments from China and India, which contained pharmaceuticals, pills, steroids, synthetic drugs and counterfeit goods including 8,340 dosage units of illegally imported pharmaceuticals and pills, counterfeit Nike sneakers from China and 4 kilos of synthetic drugs.

State police arrested 22 people and seized of drugs, weapons, cash and one vehicle in the wake of a joint drug investigation throughout Central New York.

The investigation, named “Operation Pandora’s Box,” targeted drug suppliers from New York and around the nation -- and even overseas -- who are using the U.S. Mail to ship narcotics and synthetic drugs, along with other contraband, into the region, a release from state police said.

Operation Pandora’s Box started the week of March 28.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team (CNET), including K9 units, intercepted packages suspected of containing drugs as they came into the Central New York Postal Sorting Center in the town of Cicero, Onondaga County.

After confirming the packages contained the suspected illegal contraband, law enforcement agencies were able to target the delivery locations throughout Central New York, making arrests and seizing the drugs, weapons, and $161,089.01 in the process.

Those sending packages from within New York State were also arrested.

Other agencies involved in the operation include federal Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District, the Division of Military and Naval Affairs, the Syracuse, Utica, Rome, Oneonta, Binghamton, Johnson City, Vestal and Auburn police departments, the Cayuga and Oneida County sheriff’s offices, and the Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga and Broome County district attorney’s offices. In addition to State Police CNET, Troops B, C, D, E, Aviation Unit and the Special Operations Response Team also assisted.

The suppliers of illegal drugs are exploiting every channel they can to infiltrate our communities, including the U.S. Postal Service,” said State Police Superintendent Joseph A. D’Amico. “Operation Pandora’s Box is the result of collaboration and cooperation between all levels of government – federal, state and local law enforcement – to catch the suppliers and their conspirators red handed. Law enforcement is sending them a message: No matter how you attempt to bring illegal drugs into our communities, we will find you and send you to jail.”

Names and charges for other arrested during the operation can be viewed at https://www.nyspnews.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=51654&