Newark – A major narcotics distribution ring was shut down yesterday and three suspects, two males and a female, were arraigned today on multiple drug charges following their arrests by a law enforcement task force comprised of Essex County sheriff’s detective and Irvington police officers.
Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that detectives from his department’s Bureau of Narcotics and Irvington police officers, armed with a search warrant for the basement apartment at 246 Clifton Avenue in Newark’s North Ward, staged a plainclothes surveillance operation at that location on Tuesday afternoon.
“With the alleged drug ring virtually operating in the shadow of the Basilica Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, our officers observed as two men, later identified as Andy Ravert, 26, of North Arlington, and Dennis Nunez, 24, of Newark, enter the backyard of the target location,” Sheriff Fontoura said. “Here, after brief conversations with suspects, Aldaberto ‘Pepsi’ Garcia, 35, and Ramon Vega, 56, both of Newark, items were exchanged for cash.”
Believing they had just witnessed narcotics sales, the sheriff’s BON detectives and Irvington police moved in and detained all four men in order to execute the search warrant.
As the task force officers entered the apartment, two off-leash pit bulls ran into the backyard. After one of the pit bulls attacked the other pit bull, he turned and aggressively charged at one of the officers. For officer safety, the charging pit bull was neutralized with fire from the officer’s service weapon.
“Once inside the apartment, our officers discovered a resident, Sonia Diaz, 49, and she was detained while an orderly search of the premises was conducted,” Fontoura noted. “Two large laundry bags were found and they contained numerous zip-lock plastic bags and medicine bottles which held 523 grams of cocaine, 1561 grams of marijuana, 165 grams of MDMA, a psychoactive narcotic, 95 oxycodone tablets, 71 grams of suboxone, a narcotic opiate, and 81 grams of Xanax.”
The estimated street value of the narcotics is nearly $100,000.
Garcia, Vega and Diaz were each charged with six counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of the Franklin School and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of the Branch Brook Park Library.
The three suspects were also charged with conspiracy to violate New Jersey’s narcotics laws and possession of narcotics paraphernalia.
Garcia and Vega were additionally charged with three counts of distribution of CDS.
At today’s arraignment, Garcia, Vega and Diaz were ordered held at the Essex County jail each in lieu of a cash bond of $650,000.
Ravert and Nunez who were each found to be holding a small bag of marijuana were issued summonses for possession of CDS and released in their own recognizance. They will be arraigned at a later date. 30