Three individuals were arrested in connection with a large-scale heroin/fentanyl packaging mill in Maspeth, Queens on Tuesday night. Members of the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force (NYDETF) recovered more than five kilograms of narcotics (over 11 pounds) from two apartments located on a residential block near Calvary Cemetery. The suspected heroin/fentanyl recovered at the mill is estimated to carry a street value of more than $1.5 million.
Bridget G. Brennan, New York City’s Special Narcotics Prosecutor, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Tim Foley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New York Division, New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell and New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen announced the arrests in conjunction of the arraignment of the three individuals in Manhattan Criminal Court. A criminal complaint filed by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor (SNP) contains charges of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First and Third Degrees, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second and Third Degrees and Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree.
On February 22, 2022, at approximately 9:35 p.m., members of NYDETF Group T-42 conducted a court-authorized search of the basement and second floor apartments at 51-66 48th Street. As agents and officers entered the premises, ARGELIZ NUNEZ, PABLO RODRIGUEZ and TIESHA CRUZ were observed leaving through the front door of the basement apartment. Agents and officers stopped the trio and recovered a loaded.22 caliber firearm from RODRIGUEZ’s pants pocket.
Inside the basement apartment, a small room off the main living area contained a table with a large quantity of loose narcotics in powder form on top, along with gallon sized ziplock bags of additional quantities of narcotics in powder form. Also present was a cardboard box filled with thousands of individual dose glassine envelopes filled with suspected heroin/fentanyl. Two brick-shaped boxes containing suspected narcotics sat on the table and the floor. A cooler bag contained another four large black bags filled with narcotics. Mail addressed to RODRIQUEZ was found in this apartment.
A search of the second floor apartment uncovered a table inside a bedroom with five ziplock bags of narcotics in loose powder form and drug residue on the tabletop. The apartment contained glassine envelopes stamped with many different brand names, such as “Black Widow,” “Asylum” and “Gucci.” Mail addressed to NUNEZ was present in the apartment.
Members of NYDETF, Group T-42, seized four vehicles allegedly associated with members of the drug trafficking organization. A 9mm handgun was recovered from a Sprinter van.
A total of more than five kilograms of suspected heroin/fentanyl were recovered from the two apartments. The results of DEA laboratory testing are pending to determine the type of drugs present. The New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, Group T-42, is comprised of agents and officers with DEA New York Division, the New York City Police Department and the New York State Police.
RODRIGUEZ and CRUZ were arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on Wednesday night. The arraignment of NUNEZ is pending.
Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan thanked Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and commended SNP’s Trial Bureau 40/50 and Special Investigations Bureau, the DEA New York Division, the New York City Police Department and the New York State Police for their work on the investigation.
Defendants Charge Argeliz Nunez Queens, NY Age: 41 CPCS 1st - 1 ct CPCS 3rd -1 ct Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia 2nd - 3 cts
Pablo Rodriguez Queens, NY Age: 42 CPCS 1st - 1 ct CPCS 3rd -1 ct CPW 2nd -1 ct CPW 3rd -1 ct Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia 2nd - 3 cts
Tiesha Cruz Queens, NY Age: 24 CPCS 1st - 1 ct CPCS 3rd -1 ct Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia 2nd - 3 cts
The charges and allegations are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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