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The seizure happened on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021, when the Drug Enforcement Task Force Group D-42, which includes members of the WCPD, was surveilling a cargo terminal at Newark Airport as part of a seven-month investigation into a Puerto Rico-based drug trafficking organization, according to a post by Westchester County Police on Monday, Nov. 14.
While conducting surveillance, detectives saw two large pallets being loaded by a forklift into a U-haul van that was being rented by one of the targets of the investigation and then followed this van to a residence in Newark where three men were waiting to receive and distribute the shipment, authorities said.
These three men were then taken into custody after police observed obvious signs of narcotics distribution, and the van was then taken to the Westchester County Police Academy to be unloaded, police said.
In the van, police found 10 sealed metal cylinders that were labeled on the manifest as “lawn rollers," and once these were x-rayed, police found numerous packages inside, in addition to tracking devices.
Police then realized that members of the drug trafficking organization had arrived in Westchester to locate the shipment, and the WCPD Special Response Team was then activated to provide extra security, according to police.
After many hours, the cylinders were finally unsealed and the 460 kilos of cocaine they contained were removed. Police learned that the drugs were to be distributed across the tri-state area, including Yonkers, authorities said.
Two days later, a second shipment also containing 10 metal cylinders was seized at Newark Airport, and another 460 kilos of cocaine was removed from them, a total of 920 kilos, worth more than $32 million, police said.
"All members of Group D-42 were recognized for their exemplary investigation that kept a ton of illegal narcotics off our streets," Westchester County Police said in the post.
WCPD members that received a Meritorious Service Medal for the seizure include:
- Sgt. David Minet;
- Detective Jose Puig;
- Detective Ken Cody;
- Detective Justin Szilva.
A Benevolent Police Duty Medal was also awarded to the following:
- Detectives Johanna Santos and Jose Centeno, Mount Vernon Police;
- Detective Jeff Ramirez, White Plains Police;
- Detective Jacqueline Estevez, Yonkers Police;
- Detective Donnie DeSimone, Port Chester Police;
- Detective Mike O’Rourke, New Rochelle Police;
- DEA Special Agents Edward Maher, Mark Kadan, and Rod Arrington.
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