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Luxury Cars, $99K+, 8 Kilos Of Cocaine Seized In Massive Nj-pa-de Drug Bust
A months-long undercover operation spanning Pennsylvania and New Jersey led to the arrest of six men accused of running a major cocaine trafficking ring, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer announced on Tuesday, March 18.
Dubbed "Operation Spark Plug," the investigation was spearheaded by the Delaware County Narcotics Task Force with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police, Delaware State Police, the Camden County, New Jersey District Attorney’s Office, the DEA, and the FBI. Authorities seized over 8 kilograms of cocaine, nearly $100,000 in cash, multiple luxury vehicle…
67 Pounds Of Weed Seized As Pennsylvania Man Busted For Firearm Trafficking At JFK: DA
A man accused of fueling gun violence through illegal firearm sales was caught smuggling 67 pounds of marijuana at JFK Airport, authorities announced on Monday, March 17.
Ian Diaz-Reales, 27, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was arrested on March 2 while attempting to board an outbound flight with the massive drug stash, according to the Berks County District Attorney’s Office. Diaz-Reales had already been wanted for allegedly purchasing multiple firearms and illegally funneling them to criminals involved in drug trafficking, gang activity, and violence, authorities said.
The Berks County Gun Viol…
20 Indicted In Fentanyl, Heroin Ring That Fueled Drug Use Across North Jersey: AG
Twenty people have been indicted in the sweeping takedown of opioid mills that fueled drug distribution across North Jersey, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Wednesday, March 5.
ALSO SEE: 23 People Arrested In Another Massive NJ Drug Bust — Fentanyl, Guns, Seized, Prosecutor Says
The indictment, handed down by a state grand jury, includes 53 charges ranging from racketeering and drug trafficking to weapons offenses and financial crimes. Authorities say the suspects were part of the Rodriguez, Sanchez, and Gutierrez Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO), which operated from A…
Newark Man Trafficked Guns, Drugs: Feds
A 30-year-old Newark man was arrested and charged on Monday, Dec. 23, with dealing guns and drugs, authorities said.
On Thursday, Feb. 22, police officers recovered from Raishaun Lofton a privately made firearm with no serial number, nine rounds of 9mm ammunition, 81 glassine envelopes containing fentanyl, and plastic jugs commonly used to distribute illegal drugs, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said.
On Monday, April 22, video surveillance footage depicted Lofton firing a different firearm into the air during an argument. One of the bullets from the firearm that Lofton shot entere…
Four Roselle Residents Dealt Fentanyl, Cocaine, Ecstasy: Linden PD
Four Roselle residents were indicted on Wednesdy, Dec. 5 with dealing fentanyl in Linden, authorities said.
Christine Cintron, 25, Tyron Dieujuste, 32, Xavier M. Padilla, 26, and Juanita Padilla-Jacobs, 43, were arrested on Thursday, Oct. 3 following the seizure of approximately 280 grams of Cocaine, a quantity of Xanax and Ecstasy, $6,280.00 in US currency, and nearly 400 Fentanyl pills made to look like Oxycodone during a search warrant, Linden police said.
The four were indicted by a Union County grand jury on charges of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, first-degree …
Two Newark Men Plead Guilty To Trafficking Fentanyl: Feds
Two Newark men pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Dec. 18 to being members of a drug trafficking organization that distributed hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl analogues, authorities said.
From January 2014 through September 2020, Thomas Padovano, 50, and Bartholomew Padovano, 72, agreed to import and distribute various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, methylone, and ketamine, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said.
The Padovanos placed orders with a source in China and distributed the controlled substances and analogues in Ne…
East Orange Drug Trafficker Possessed Assault Rifles, Dealt Cocaine, Heroin: Feds
A 32-year-old East Orange man pleaded guilty on Thursday, Dec. 19 to distributing cocaine and heroin and possessing two assault rifles, authorities said.
Azmar Carrer pleaded guilty in Newark Federal Court to two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said.
In 2021, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization based in Orange, Sellinger said. During the investigation, Carter di…
Violent NJ Human Trafficking Rings Dismantled Where Women, Teens Were Forced Into Sex: AG
Seven people have been arrested in the dismantling two human trafficking rings, one in North Jersey and one in South Jersey, authorities said.
The rings were based in Essex County and Cumberland County, state Attorney General Matthew Platkin said at a news conference on Tuesday, Dec. 3.
Khailah Meekins, 21 and Donte Barkley, 28, both Newark residents, trafficked two 15-year-olds and a 13-year-old in Essex County, Platkin said. Meekins and Barkley arranged sexual encounters for the girls through mobile apps that included online ads featuring nude photos of the minors. The girls would be…
Newark Man Gets 4+ Years For Distributing Cocaine, Fentanyl: Feds
A 37-year-old Newark man was sentenced to 4.8 years in prison on Tuesday, Nov. 5, for distributing cocaine and fentanyl in 2022, authorities said.
In December 2022, Carlos Gonzalez and another individual conspired to distribute approximately one kilogram of cocaine and 100 grams of fentanyl and were arrested shortly after arriving at an agreed-upon location in Kearny to complete the sale, US Attorney Phillip Sellinger said.
After their arrests, a search of Gonzalez’s home and an apartment uncovered two loaded firearms, an unloaded firearm, ammunition, drug packaging materials, a…
$1.1M In Drugs, 5 Firearms, $65K Seized From NJ Man, Prosecutor Says
A 35-year-old Mercer County man is facing a slew of charges after investigators uncovered $1.1 million in drugs, five handguns, and $65,000 in cash from him, authorities said.
James Nalbone Jr., 35, of Hamilton Township, was arrested on Wednesday, Aug. 7, following a month-long investigation, Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Theresa L. Hilton said.
Detectives detained Nalbone at his home on Byron Avenue and executed a search warrant, Hilton said. Sgt. Tom Paglione's K-9 partner, Indy, gave positive indications of a drug odor at multiple locations within the premises, poli…
Four Newark Men Robbed Postal Worker At Gunpoint: Feds
Four Newark men were arrested and charged on Thursday, Aug. 1 with robbing a postal worker at gunpoint last November, authorities said.
Last November, three people, including Troy Corbett, 28, and Dyshawn Williams, 28 stole the victim's cell phone, keys and wallet, containing a credit card and debit card, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said. The robbery is a federal crime, since it impeded the postal worker from delivering mail, interfering with interstate commerce, Sellinger said.
After the robbery, Antwuan Brown, 24, and Karleem Stamps, 25, used the stolen debit card to make separate purc…
NJ Woman Who Dealt Meth, Cocaine Via FedEx Gets 10 Years, US Attorney Says
A 32-year-old Newark woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Thursday, July 11, after being convicted of possessing cocaine and methamphetamine with intent to distribute, authorities said.
In March 2021, two FedEx parcels addressed to a "John Brown" in Newark were intercepted by law enforcement and found to contain cocaine, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said. An undercover officer disguised as a FedEx driver delivered the package of cocaine to Mahogany Hawkins, Sellinger said.
Officers showed up at Hawkins' place again, but when they identified themselves as law enforcement, Hawki…
Mass Amounts Of Cocaine, $17K Seized From Mom-Son Duo In Bloomfield, Newark SWAT Raids: Cops
Detectives have put a stop to one family's cocaine distribution business in a series of raids across Essex County Tuesday, July 9, authorities said.
More than 10,000 vials of cocaine, several hundred grams of cocaine, $17,600 in cash and a handgun with an extended magazine were seized by detectives, ultimately leading to charges against Edwin Medina, 32 and his mother, Sandra Almodovar, 51, both of Newark, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II announced.
Detectives from the ECPO Narcotics Task Force first seized more than a kilo of suspected cocaine in a series of…
Gangster Parolee Busted With Heroin, Firearm In Jersey City: Feds
Two Jersey City men have been charged with distributing cocaine and heroin as part of a street gang, authorities said.
Anthony Phillips, 31, a.k.a. "Ant" and Shannon Tisdale a.k.a. "Doonk" were arrested after law enforcement began investigating drug distribution in the area of Lexington and Bergen Avenues in Jersey City by Lex Mob, a neighborhood gang, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said.
On Wednesday, April 24, law enforcement saw Tisdale and Phillips distributing drugs in Lexington and then both fled when confronted by police, Sellinger said.
During the pursuit, police saw Phillips r…
Newark Ex-Con Admits Dealing Heroin, Cocaine, Firearm Possession, Feds Say
A 34-year-old Newark man recently pleaded guilty to dealing cocaine and heroin, and possessing a firearm despite being a convicted felon, authorities said.
In Jan. 2021, law enforcement recovered envelopes containing heroin, jugs containing cocaine and a loaded firearm from Naiem Moore's vehicle, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said.
Moore had used the same firearm in a shooting and attempted assault in Sept. 2020, Sellinger said.
Moore pleaded guilty to two counts of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, one count of possession with intent t…