The charge against Besim Muriqi, 31, stems from an investigation lead by the DEA's Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the Stamford Police Department, with assistance from the Fairfield Police Department.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2015, Stamford Police received information that Amonda Mendez, also known as “M-Dot” and “Dot,” was distributing a variety of narcotics in Stamford.
An investigation that included wiretaps and purchases by undercover officers determined that Mendez was distributing heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana and prescription pills, including Percoset and Xanax, according to Daly.
In May 2015, task force agents intercepted several narcotics-related calls between Muriqi and Mendez, and also conducted surveillance on them as they traveled together to the Bronx to purchase narcotics, according to Daly. Mendez was arrested in May 2016 after the wiretap revealed that she was involved in a shoot-out with another person and might be planning to retaliate further, according to court documents. At that point, Muriqi left Connecticut.
Police received information in September 2016 that Muriqi was selling oxycodone in the Stamford area, and made a controlled purchase of 10 30mg oxycodone pills from him, according to Daly. On Oct. 26, Muriqi was stopped while driving in Stamford. A search of his car revealed 558 30mg oxycodone pills, and Muriqi was taken into custody, according to court documents.
Task force officials searched Muriqi's home two days later and found 400 Valium tablets, 985 Xanax tablets, 15 grams of cocaine, two digital scales and narcotics packaging material, according to Daly.
Muriqi will be sentenced on July 19, at which point he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. He is currently released on a $150,000 bond. Mendez pleaded guilty in June to heroin distribution and firearm offenses, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Stamford and receive free news updates.