Two Irvington suspects were arraigned today on multiple drug and weapons charges following their arrests yesterday by a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement task force comprised of local, county and federal officers.
Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that detectives from his department’s Bureau of Narcotics, along with federal officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Homeland Security, and municipal detectives from the Bloomfield, Irvington and Roselle police departments, executed a search warrant at Coast to Coast Towing, located at 435 – 437 14th Avenue in Irvington, on Wednesday afternoon.
“In executing the search warrant, a tow lot employee, later identified as Eric Love, 37, was observed transferring a large amount of heroin from an abandoned Dodge Caravan to his 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo,” Sheriff Fontoura said. “In all, Love was found to be in possession of 14,300 heroin-filled envelops, stamped ‘FRANK LUCAS’ in blue ink, and $2,100 in cash.”
John Hibinski, Jr., 48, the tow lot’s owner, was also arrested when the task force officers discovered a fully loaded, .38 caliber revolver and more than 300 oxycodone tablets on his desk.
“A further search of the office yielded two additional revolvers, a box of illegal hollow point bullets and $14,925 in cash,” Fontoura noted.
The estimated street value of the narcotic’s seized during Wednesday’s arrests is in excess of $125,000. Additional search warrants for the tow yard are expected to be issued later today.
“With these arrests we believe a major drug distribution operation has effectively been shut down.” the sheriff added.
Love was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS with intent to distribute and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of Sacred Heart School.
Hibinski was charged with possession of CDS, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of Sacred Heart and possession of hollow point bullets. Hibinski was additionally charged with three counts of the unlawful possession of a weapon while committing a CDS crime.
At today’s arraignment, bail on Love was set at $150,000 cash bond only and on Hibinski at $25,000 cash bond only.
Both suspects were lodged at the county jail.