Man arrested and released with 20,000 fentanyl tablets

A man was arrested in Manhattan with 20,000 fentanyl pills – and released back onto the streets, police and sources said on Sunday.

Manuel Pagon, 49, was arrested around 2pm on Friday at 11th Avenue and West 30th Street in Chelsea, police officers said.

He was found in possession of “approximately 20,000 multicolored M-30 fentanyl pills,” according to court records.

Pagon has been charged with criminal possession of narcotics, records show. He was then released on his own, police said.