Two Bronx men were arrested in the Bedford Park neighborhood of the Bronx last week in connection with a large-scale heroin/fentanyl packaging and distribution operation.
More than 13 pounds of drugs with a street value of at least $1.8 million were intercepted during a short-term investigation. The narcotics were allegedly destined for distribution throughout New York City and Massachusetts. Overdose rates in New York City have escalated since the COVID-19 pandemic began and are at their highest rates ever. Fentanyl is the most common drug associated with overdose deaths.
“Fentanyl-related deaths continue to surge across our city and nation, as tremendous amounts of the deadly drug flood our city, intended for distribution here and across the region,” said Bridget G. Brennan, New York City’s Special Narcotics prosecutor. “These arrests demonstrate the significant hurdles we face as we try to rein in the opioid crisis in the city, and some significant issues related to changes to bail laws. Our state legislators have demonstrated some willingness to refine sections of bail reform laws, including allowing bail when large amounts of deadly narcotics are recovered. However, more needs to be done to protect the safety and well-being of New Yorkers.”
Bronx residents Diego Tejada-Rosario and Victor Camacho, both 23, were arrested Aug. 2 and charged with first- and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia.
On Aug. 2, agents and investigators were conducting surveillance outside of a location believed to be used as a narcotics mill, located at 2815 Grand Concourse, Apt. A41, when they observed Tejada-Rosario allegedly exit the apartment carrying a gray backpack. Tejada-Rosario left the building and walked south on Grand Concourse. A few minutes later, investigators saw Camacho exit the same apartment carrying a multi-colored tote shopping bag. He also left the building and got into a taxi.
Agents and officers stopped Tejada-Rosario and searched the gray backpack, allegedly recovering more than a kilogram of heroin/fentanyl, as well as empty glassine envelopes, stamps, an ink pad, a digital scale, a drug ledger and other materials commonly used in packaging narcotics.
At approximately 12:45 p.m., agents and investigators stopped the taxi in which Camacho was a passenger in front of 2675 Grand Concourse. The multi-colored tote bag that Camacho had been seen carrying was found in the trunk with boxes containing thousands of empty glassine envelopes inside.
Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for 2815 Grand Concourse, Apt. A41. Inside the apartment, they recovered more than one kilogram of heroin/fentanyl split into four packages, tens of thousands of pre-packaged glassine envelopes containing heroin/fentanyl, more than 20,000 empty glassine envelopes that were stamped and ready for packaging, 12 digital scales, 14 coffee grinders (commonly used for mixing narcotics), 21 ink pads and four stamps, including one with the brand name “Tik Tok.” The narcotics and paraphernalia were packed inside of three suitcases and additional bags.
Agents and investigators also seized a Dominican Republic passport with Tejada-Rosario’s photo, but a different name, from the apartment.
“Each bag of narcotics seized is a potential overdose prevented,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “Heroin and fentanyl are equal opportunity killers that are devastating our communities. With this seizure, we’ve removed thousands of deadly doses and saved lives. I thank our partners at the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their dedication to ending the opioid epidemic.”
