Armando De La Rosa, age 56, of Cranston, Rhode Island, was arrested around 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 23, after being stopped by a Westchester County Police officer in a Honda Pilot on Boston Post Road in Pelham for traffic violations, including use of a cell phone without a hands-free device, said Kieran O'Leary, spokesman for the department.
After additional investigation, it was determined that the vehicle had been altered to add a hidden compartment or trap, that was being utilized to hide the fentanyl.
De La Rosa was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.
He was booked at County Police headquarters in Hawthorne and arraigned in Pelham Town Court.
He is being held in lieu of bail at the Westchester County Jail in Valhalla.
“Our officers are always vigilant on every traffic stop for signs of possible criminal activity, including narcotics trafficking,” Commissioner Thomas A. Gleason said. “This officer effectively used his training and experience in this incident and took a sizable amount of this very deadly narcotic substance off the streets of our County.”
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