D.C. police seized more than 250 pounds of a berry-flavored synthetic marijuana marketed as Bizarro from a storage space in northwest Washington this week in the largest-ever bust for the drug.

Siraj Issa, 33, and Yenework Tefera Abera, 41, are charged with possession with intent to distribute synthetic cannabinoids worth an estimated $2.3 million.

Maryland State Police and the Metropolitan Area Drug Task Force intercepted a large shipment of synthetic drugs from the West Coast at a shipping company in Howard County, Maryland last Thursday when a police dog detected the drugs. Their final destination was northwest D.C., according to charging documents.

The shipment contained more than 19,247 packets of Bizarro, which contained the Schedule I controlled substance known as XLR-11, according to charging documents. The packets were in sizes of 3.5 and 10 grams, police said.

D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said at a community meeting Wednesday night that detectives raced to keep the berry-flavored drugs off the street.

"I guarantee you that that shipment that we got today, that was destined for the gas stations and the little variety stores all through this community and all across the city," she said.

"This is a massive and unprecedented seizure," Assistant Police Chief Peter Newsham said. "This operation is symbolic of the success law enforcement can have when we work collaboratively with our federal and regional partners and focus our efforts on the sources of these types of drugs, which are wreaking havoc in our city."

Police made a controlled delivery of the shipment of more than 250 pounds to a storage facility in northwest D.C. Tuesday. Issa signed the delivery receipt, and he and Abera loaded the shipment's 14 boxes on to handcarts and place them in a storage unit, according to charging documents.

Abera told police he went to the storage facility several times in recent months to get black trash bags from Issa to distribute at various street corners in the city, according to charging documents. He received up to $200 for a single delivery, he said. He told police he thought the bags carried hair products or other dollar-store items.

Previously, D.C.'s largest seizure of synthetic drugs was about 2,000 packets in 2014.

D.C. has seen a sharp increase in use of synthetic drugs in recent months. That spike is partially responsible for violence in the city this summer, officials have said.

"The synthetic drug problem we have in the District, which seems to be increasing significantly, is contributing to that violence," Newsham said.

The Metropolitan Police Department will continue to pursue sellers of synthetic drugs, Lanier said.

"We are committed to going after these synthetics, where ever they're coming from, and getting at that source," she said. "Today's bust sends a tremendous message that we are not going to give up."

Issa, of northwest D.C., and Abera, of Alexandria, Virginia, face a maximum 20 years in prison and fines.