Federal charges for 5 in record $1 million West New York heroin bust

A record-setting North Jersey heroin bust is now officially a federal case. Local police busted a crew of illegal immigrants and found $1 million worth of smack ready for street sale over the weekend at what they said was a heroin mill in a two-family house on a quiet West New York block. They gave the case to the Drug Enforcement Administration, leading to federal court appearances today in Newark.

Jerry DeMarco

02/03/2011 3:36 p.m.

Location: just off JFK Blvd, across from North Bergen, two blocks from a grammar school

All five — Alejandro Valdez, 34, of West New York; Christian Colon, 23, Victor Arias, 29, and Jose Delorbe, of the Bronx, and Jorge Guerra, 31, of Manhattan – are charged under federal statutes with conspiring to manufacture heroin for distribution.

They were being held on $500,000 bail at the Hudson County Correctional Facility but presumably were transferred to federal custody for today’s initial hearing in U.S. District Court in Newark.

All except Arias are illegal immigrants — meaning they won’t see the light of day on American soil again. Once they’re tried, or accept pleas, they will be deported.

Thanks to a tipster, the 5 a.m. raid produced the largest heroin seizure in West New York history — eight pounds in all — and one of the biggest ever along the Gold Coast.

Authorities said the crew also had a marijuana-growing operation in place on the second floor of the house, as well as a section downstairs for drug packaging.

Click here to follow Daily Voice North Passaic and receive free news updates.