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On Nov. 14, the Atlantic City Police Department, with assistance from the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, DEA Atlantic City Resident Office, and the Liberty Mid-Atlantic DEA Atlantic County HIDTA Task Force, completed an investigation into a drug distribution network operating in the area of Florida Avenue, the Ducktown section of Atlantic City, and surrounding areas.
The network, allegedly led by brothers Joseph and Justin Suarez, utilized a series of stash locations and street-level dealers to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin in Atlantic City, police said.
According to the New Jersey State Police’s Drug Monitoring Initiative, this particular brand of heroin/fentanyl, known as ‘Bad Bunny’, has been linked to at least 25 overdoses including 8 fatalities.
The operation culminated in the execution of 10 residential search warrants throughout Atlantic County. The operation and execution of the search warrants resulted in the seizure of approximately 785 bricks or 39,250 individual wax folds of packaged heroin/fentanyl, approximately 7 ounces of cocaine, four handguns, one of which was determined to be a ‘ghost gun’ and another determined to be stolen, various firearm ammunition, miscellaneous amounts of crack cocaine and suspected fentanyl pills, and approximately $86,650 believed to be proceeds of illegal narcotics sales.
"I am extremely proud of our outstanding police department,” said Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small. “Drugs and violence have no place in our city. The work does not stop here."
Police Chief James Sarkos said, “I am extremely proud of the hard work and dedication of all the agencies and officers who worked this investigation, resulting in the dismantling of a drug trafficking organization that was terrorizing our neighborhoods."
The Suarez brothers, both 37, were charged with leading a narcotics trafficking network and numerous drug charges.
Also arrested on drug and other charges were:
- James Dimeo, 59, of Atlantic City.
- Howard Cubbage, 57, of Atlantic City.
- Safiya Braxton, 36, of Atlantic City.
- \Arcadia Ridley, 32, of Absecon
- Maurice Braxton, 34, of Atlantic City.
- Keith Potter, 60, of Galloway
- Lydia Santana, 31, of Atlantic City.
- Terrea Acosta, 55, of Atlantic City.
- Brianna Perez, 30, of Atlantic City.
- Michael Howell, 35, of Atlantic City.
- Jose Perez Paredes, 29, of Philadelphia, PA.
- Yoao Jerez-Tejada, 37, of Philadelphia, PA.
- Orlando Peguero-Perez, 36, of West New York, NJ.
- Malik Lyons, 22, of Egg Harbor Township. He was released on a summons.
The other 15 were being held in the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
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