JOINT CUSTODY: 1,750 Pounds Of Pot Seized, 13 Busted In Bergen Over Past Six Weeks JOINT CUSTODY: 1,750 Pounds Of Pot Seized, 13 Busted In Bergen Over Past Six Weeks
Joint Custody: 1,750 Pounds Of Pot Seized, 13 Busted In Bergen Over Past Six Weeks The fifth huge pot bust in six weeks in Bergen County boosted the overall total in that time to nearly a ton of weed, along with a baker's dozen arrests, most of them involving carriers from Queens. Two unemployed men from New York City's largest borough were nabbed with 120 pounds of pot during a traffic stop by Narcotic Task Force detectives this past Wednesday, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said, without specifying the area. Xian Fang Mei, 62, and Xian Wei Tang, 39, were each charged with first-degree possession with the intent to sell the drug, the prosecutor said. They were the…
'Operation Checkmate' Yields Another Cocaine Conviction On Jersey Shore 'Operation Checkmate' Yields Another Cocaine Conviction On Jersey Shore
'Operation Checkmate' Yields Another Cocaine Conviction On Jersey Shore A 55-year-old man from Keyport admitted to his role in a cocaine-dealing ring, authorities said. Mark Capichana pleaded guilty to selling cocaine on Tuesday, March 14, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.  Capichana was arrested as part of “Operation Checkmate,” a four-month-long cooperative, multi-jurisdictional investigation of cocaine sold in Ocean, Monmouth and Middlesex counties as well as New York City. On Oct. 26, 2021, detectives made warranted searches at Capichana’s residence in Keyport and a business operated by Capichana, also located i…
Getaway Driver In Fairview Drug Killing Convicted Of Felony Murder, Conspiracy, More Getaway Driver In Fairview Drug Killing Convicted Of Felony Murder, Conspiracy, More
Getaway Driver In Fairview Drug Killing Convicted Of Felony Murder, Conspiracy, More UPDATE: The getaway driver in an armed robbery turned cold-blooded killing in Fairview was convicted this week of felony murder, among other counts, following a trial in Hackensack. David Martinez of North Bergen will get a minimum 30-year state prison sentence, at the very least, for the June 2019 shooting death of David Duque-Soto at his Fourth Street apartment. Superior Court Judge Margaret M. Foti, who presided over the four-week trial, scheduled sentencing for April 21. Assistant Bergen County Prosecutors Suzanne Cevasco and Matthew Fitzpatrick presented 16 witnesses to prove that Ma…
Cocaine Was Smuggled In Children's Toy Boxes: Ocean County Prosecutor Cocaine Was Smuggled In Children's Toy Boxes: Ocean County Prosecutor
Cocaine Was Smuggled In Children's Toy Boxes: Ocean County Prosecutor Three Jersey Shore residents have been charged in a major cocaine-dealing operation, authorities said. The cocaine was smuggled in children's toy boxes, they said. A cooperative, multi-agency investigation identified four residences in Toms River as being used by Christian Bultron-Rios, 37, Christian Bultron-Carmona, 18, and Anfernee Guzman-Romero, 26, all of Toms River, to store and distribute cocaine, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. The investigation determined that this organization was importing large quantities of cocaine into the Ocean C…
Jersey Shore Man Sentenced For Selling Cocaine: Prosecutor Jersey Shore Man Sentenced For Selling Cocaine: Prosecutor
Jersey Shore Man Sentenced For Selling Cocaine: Prosecutor A Long Branch man was sentenced to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison for selling cocaine, authorities said. Johnny Rodriquez, 51, was sentenced on the charge of possession with intent to distribute on Friday, March 10, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago. A three-month-long 2021 investigation by the Monmouth County Narcotics and Criminal Enterprise Unit and Long Branch Police Department culminated in search warrants being executed at Rodriquez’s residence on North 5th Avenue in Long Branch,, Platinum Touch mechanic shop on Broadway in Long …
4½ Pounds Of Fentanyl Seized, Mexican Nationals Nabbed By DEA, Bergen Prosecutor's Detectives 4½ Pounds Of Fentanyl Seized, Mexican Nationals Nabbed By DEA, Bergen Prosecutor's Detectives
4½ Pounds Of Fentanyl Seized, Mexican Nationals Nabbed By DEA, Bergen Prosecutor's Detectives Federal agents took custody of two Mexican nationals from Texas who local authorities said were caught with several pounds of deadly fentanyl during a traffic stop in Little Ferry. Camerino Hernandez-Atanacio, 32, and Alexis Araujo-Atanacio, 19, both unemployed, had been living in a small house with an adjacent trailer in the West Texas town of Odessa, records show. DEA agents from New York City and Bergen County narcotics detectives arrested both men last Friday as part of an ongoing investigation into bulk drug shipments being moved through the area, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Mus…
NJ Dealer Awaiting Trial For Shooting Detectives Gets 13 Years In Federal Drug Takedown NJ Dealer Awaiting Trial For Shooting Detectives Gets 13 Years In Federal Drug Takedown
NJ Dealer Awaiting Trial For Shooting Detectives Gets 13 Years In Federal Drug Takedown A manager of a major New Jersey drug ring who's awaiting trial for shooting two undercover detectives must spend 13 years in federal custody after taking a plea deal from the government in a separate case. Juan Figueroa, 25, was the last of 19 members of the Bloods-related group who were convicted following a federal assault on an open-air drug market in Camden that provided walkup and drive-by service to its customers. Figueroa and two associates were also charged in state court with ambushing two Camden County Police detectives who were investigating the ring, which peddled heroin, crack,…
Bergenfield Man Seized In Overdose Death Of Hackensack Drug User Bergenfield Man Seized In Overdose Death Of Hackensack Drug User
Bergenfield Man Seized In Overdose Death Of Hackensack Drug User A Bergenfield man was seized at his home on Friday and charged with supplying the drugs that killed a 34-year-old Hackensack user nearly five weeks ago. Stevie J. Killins, 59, was sent to the Bergen County Jail to await a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack following his March 3 arrest, city Police Capt. Michael Antista said. Killins -- also known as Steven Bease -- is charged with the strict liability death of the overdose victim on Jan. 28, the captain said. He's also charged with various drug possession counts for heroin and illegal prescription pills tha…
Fentanyl, Cocaine Dealer Busted At NJ Hotel: Prosecutor Fentanyl, Cocaine Dealer Busted At NJ Hotel: Prosecutor
Fentanyl, Cocaine Dealer Busted At NJ Hotel: Prosecutor A 35-year-old man allegedly was busted with a variety of drugs at a Somerset hotel, authorities said. Anthony L. Banks of North Brunswick was charged with numerous drug offenses, according to Franklin Township police and the Somerset County prosecutor. Prosecutor John P. McDonald said Banks' arrest was the result of a two-month investigation of drug deals allegedly taking place at a hotel on Cedar Grove Lane in Somerset. On Monday, Feb. 27, Banks was arrested by Task Force Officers as he exited the unnamed hotel without incident, McDonald said. A warranted search of Banks' hotel room yiel…
CARRY THAT WEIGHT: Bergen Detectives Bust NYC Five With 1,100 Pounds Of Pot, 50 Lbs Of Edibles CARRY THAT WEIGHT: Bergen Detectives Bust NYC Five With 1,100 Pounds Of Pot, 50 Lbs Of Edibles
Carry That Weight: Bergen Detectives Bust NYC Five With 1,100 Pounds Of Pot, 50 Lbs Of Edibles More than a half-ton of pot and 50 pounds of edibles were seized by Bergen County prosecutor’s detectives who charged five jobless men from Queens with moving large drug shipments in and around Fort Lee. Narcotic Task Force members raided two storage facilities – one near the George Washington Bridge and the other in Jersey City – and conducted warranted searches of four vehicles in Fort Lee during the Valentine’s Day cannabust, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Arrested were: Jingru Chen, 29; Fenglei Fan, 35; Lifan Feng, 21; XingXiang Gao, 27; Weiqi Wu, 25. All five remain…
Feds: Hudsonite Nabbed Accepting Mail-Order Fentanyl From Mexico Pleads Out Feds: Hudsonite Nabbed Accepting Mail-Order Fentanyl From Mexico Pleads Out
Feds: Hudsonite Nabbed Accepting Mail-Order Fentanyl From Mexico Pleads Out A Hudson County man admitted accepting mail-order fentanyl destined for New Jersey’s streets that shipped to his home from Mexico, federal authorities said. Miguel Polanco, 31, even watched a how-to video on how to handle the shipment, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said following a plea hearing in Newark on Wednesday, Feb. 15. Polanco became the focus of an investigation after U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents intercepted the package from Mexico City on its way to his Union City apartment, Sellinger said. He had previously received a video from a conspirator “exp…
50,000 Pills: Feds Hold Accused Fentanyl Trafficker From Mexico In Bergen Jail After NYC Bust 50,000 Pills: Feds Hold Accused Fentanyl Trafficker From Mexico In Bergen Jail After NYC Bust
50,000 Pills: Feds Hold Accused Fentanyl Trafficker From Mexico In Bergen Jail After NYC Bust Federal authorities kept an accused fentanyl trafficker in custody at the Bergen County Jail after they said they caught her selling 50,000 potentially fatal fentanyl pills in Manhattan. Agari Reyes-Sillero, a 34-year-old Mexican national, got into a cooperator’s car in with the multi-colored pills packed into four protein powder containers on Feb. 5, 2023, a complaint signed by a DEA agent alleges. She expected to be paid $400,000 in return, the complaint filed in the Southern District of New York in Manhattan says. Members of a task force comprised of DEA agents, the NYPD and the New Yo…