A Bronx man was arrested in connection with the seizure of approximately 23 kilograms of fentanyl/heroin (50 pounds) from a Norwood apartment located at 3535 Dekalb Avenue, not far from Van Cortlandt Park in The Bronx. The narcotics carry an estimated street value of $7 million.

 

The arrest was announced by Bridget G. Brennan, New York City’s special narcotics prosecutor, Frank A. Tarentino III, special agent in charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New York division, Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell and New York State Police acting superintendent, Steven A. Nigrelli, following a short term investigation by the DEA’s New York Drug Enforcement Task Force (NYDETF) Group T-21.

A criminal complaint filed by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor (SNP) charges Samuel Rojas-Camacho, 59, with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first and third degrees and criminally using drug paraphernalia in the second degree. Rojas-Camacho was arrested on Monday night, Nov. 7, and arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on the night of Tuesday, Nov. 8.

 

Reacting to the arrest, Brennan said, “This case illustrates how narcotics flow from state to state, with large amounts of fentanyl and heroin continuing to flood New York City. Traffickers take great pains to conceal drug shipments that sell for millions of dollars, in this case inside a table outfitted with a hidden trap compartment.” She added, “Overdose rates remain at record-high levels, with the majority of deaths attributed to fentanyl.”

She thanked Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark and commended SNP’s trial division and DEA’s NYDETF, including members of DEA New York division, the NYPD and the New York State Police, for their work on the investigation.

 

Meanwhile, Tarentino said, “This apartment contained 23 kilograms/50lbs of fentanyl/heroin concealed in a secret compartment of a coffee table.” He added, “Removing this fentanyl/heroin from our streets is the equivalent of saving thousands of lives. Rojas-Camacho is one of many drug traffickers in our city who spread poison throughout our communities. I applaud the efforts our law enforcement officers, agents, and prosecutors who investigate and arrest those responsible for fueling drug poisonings.”

 

Sewell said the NYPD and our law enforcement partners worked tirelessly to rid the city of illegal drugs. “We will pursue, arrest, and hold accountable anyone who seeks to profit from this poison,” she said. “I want to thank the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York, the New York Division of the DEA, the New York State Police, and everyone else involved in this case for their outstanding work.”

 

Meanwhile, Nigrelli said through continued partnership with other agencies, New York State Police prevented a large amount of dangerous drugs from reaching neighborhoods and “in all likelihood preventing a number of overdoses.” Nigrelli added, “This suspect was set to profit from the sale of these narcotics with absolutely no regard for the damage that would have been inflicted to our communities. I commend the work of our members and our partners on the task force for their relentless efforts to stem the flow of dangerous drugs into our state.”

Pursuant to the investigation, agents and officers stopped a green Jaguar sedan at the southwest corner of Jerome Avenue and East 233^rd Street in Van Cortlandt Park at around 9 p.m. on Nov. 7. Rojas-Camacho was a passenger in the vehicle, according to the prosecution team. The investigation revealed that he had allegedly travelled out of state that same day. He had previously been observed on video surveillance entering and exiting the lobby of an apartment building located at 3535 Dekalb Avenue, a suspected drug stash location, on approximately three occasions.

 

According to the prosecution team, at approximately 10 p.m., members of NYDETF Group T-21 arrived at 3535 Dekalb Avenue, Apt. 5B, and conducted a search, recovering approximately 11 brick-shaped packages of fentanyl/heroin containing approximately one kilogram of narcotics each, 5 hockey puck-shaped packages containing fentanyl/heroin, and a large plastic bag containing fentanyl/heroin. The packages and large bag of narcotics were allegedly found inside a concealed compartment in a coffee table.

A shoebox in the bedroom allegedly contained an additional quantity of fentanyl/heroin. Street ready glassine envelopes stamped with the brand name “Skull Crusher,” empty glassines, and plastic bags of fentanyl/heroin were also allegedly recovered from the bedroom closet.

 

A subsequent field test on some of the narcotics yielded positive results for fentanyl and heroin. Further analysis is pending.

 

All of the equipment and paraphernalia necessary for packaging narcotics was allegedly present in the apartment, such as coffee grinders, rubber gloves, an air purifier and a scale. Bank receipts and medicine bottles in Rojas-Camacho’s name were also allegedly recovered.

 

At the time of arraignment on Nov. 9, a Manhattan Criminal Court judge set bail at $100,000 cash/$100,000 bond/$200,000 partially secured bond.

 

A person arrested and charged with a crime is deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

 

On Oct. 16, Norwood News reported on the arrest of two people in a major seizure of “rainbow fentanyl” pills and powered fentanyl a a location in Wakefield. On June 27, as reported, a multi-drug seizure of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, crystal meth, and counterfeit pills took place in Mt. Hope.

 

We also reported on additional drug takedowns in the Bedford Park and Crotona sections of The Bronx in recent months. Meanwhile, as reported, the City announced on Aug. 5 new measures to train citizens on how to prevent and reduce overdose deaths, especially in light of overdose rates of 75.3 percent in Hunts Point-Mott Haven.

 

An overdose prevention training course was successfully held in St. James Park on Aug. 31, while a harm reduction forum was Harm reduction forum was held on Aug. 8, to address drug use in Poe Park.