By: Richard L. Smith
Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II announced that detectives from his office’s Narcotics Task Force seized more than a kilogram of suspected cocaine in a series of early morning raids at locations in Newark and Bloomfield.
The raids were part of an ongoing investigation, and detectives obtained court-authorized search warrants for four locations in North Newark and an apartment in Bloomfield, NJ.
The warrants were executed simultaneously earlier today with the assistance of the Newark Police SWAT Team, the Essex County Sheriff’s Tactical Response Team, and the Bloomfield Police Emergency Response Team.
During the operation, detectives recovered approximately 10,400 vials of cocaine packaged for distribution and an additional 640 grams of unpackaged cocaine.
They also seized a 9-millimeter handgun with an extended magazine, around $17,600 in US currency, three motor vehicles, and several pieces of high-end jewelry.
Two individuals, Mr. Edwin Medina, 32, and his mother, Ms. Sandra Almodovar, 51, both of Newark, were arrested.
They are charged with first-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, possession of a handgun while committing a narcotics offense, and various other narcotics offenses.
Both are being held in the Essex County Correctional Facility pending an appearance in the Essex County Central Judicial Processing (CJP) Court.
Prosecutor Stephens praised the efforts of the Narcotics Task Force and the cooperation among law enforcement agencies, stating, “A seizure of this size will disrupt the flow of illegal narcotics into Newark and the surrounding area. I would also like to thank the other law enforcement agencies who assisted with the raids. Cooperation among law enforcement agencies is essential.”