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The total amount of heroin seized was 2,200 bricks or 110,000 glassine bags, according to Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri, who called it "the largest pre-packaged heroin seizure in Mercer County history."
Detectives also seized $50,000 in cocaine as a result of the three-month investigation.
On Monday, members of the Mercer County Narcotics Task Force were conducting surveillance of Andrew Coates at his residence on Bellevue Avenue in Trenton, Onofri said.
Detectives allegedly observed Coates and an suspect identified as Carmen Campbell enter a silver Nissan Altima and drive off, the prosecutor said.. Officers followed the vehicle directly to an Asian supermarket on St. Vincent Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and park in the lot, Onofri said.
Officers allegedly observed Coates exit the Altima, retrieve a weighted bag from the trunk, and enter an unknown vehicle with the bag, the prosecutor said.
Minutes later, another unknown individual exited another unknown vehicle, retrieved three weighted bags and placed them in the trunk of the Altima, according to Onofri. Seconds later, Coates exited the unknown vehicle and re-enters the passenger side of the Altima, the prosecutor said.
The Nissan Altima reportedly left the area and surveillance officers followed it directly to Parkside and Parkway avenues in Trenton, according to Onofri.
In Trenton, detectives attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop of the Altima. While officers were exiting their vehicle, Campbell, who was driving, attempted to flee, Onofri said. While doing so, Campbell allegedly struck a civilian vehicle and a Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office vehicle, causing damage to all three vehicles, Onofri said
While continuing to try to flee, the Altima reportedly ran over the foot of a MCPO detective and struck his side, Onofri said.
Detectives were subsequently able to stop the vehicle, and no injuries were sustained by any other officers or civilians, he said.
Once the vehicle was stopped, both Coates and Campbell were detained.
MCPO Detective Tom Paglione subsequently utilized his narcotic canine, Indy, to conduct an exterior sniff of the Nissan Altima. As a result of the canine sniff, Indy alerted to the scent of a narcotic odor on the trunk of the vehicle, according to Onofri.
A warranted search of the vehicle revealed the 2,200 bricks of heroin, he said. Warranted searches also were made at multiple locations in Trenton, the prosecutor said.
At Coates’ Bellevue Avenue residence, Indy sniffed out a plastic trunk in the basement and a shopping bag containing clothes in the garage. A search turned up 250 grams of cocaine in both locations, Onofri said.
Officers also located $1,748 in cash, several rounds of various ammunition, and two Sig Sauer gun magazines loaded with 9mm ammunition.
Coates’ mother, Bridgett Coates, was found inside of the residence at the time of the search and was taken into custody on a Homeland Security Investigations' warrant for several narcotic offenses in California, the prosecutor said.
Andrew Coates, 37, of Trenton, was charged with numerous first-degree narcotic-related offenses, Onofri said. He was being held at the Mercer County Correction Center.
Campbell, 60, of Trenton, was charged with numerous first-degree narcotic-related offenses, aggravated assault on police and eluding, Onofri said. She was being held at the Mercer County Correction Center.
Bridgett Coates, 54, of Trenton, was charged with numerous first-degree narcotic-related offenses, the prosecutor said. She also was being held at the Mercer County Correction Center.
According to Onofri, the total street value of the confiscated drugs is $1,150,000. The heroin is valued at approximately $1.1 million and the cocaine is valued at approximately $50,000, he said.
Multiple federal, state and local law enforcement agencies participated in the investigation and arrests.
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