An indictment filed in Manhattan Supreme Court by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor
charges JOSE DELACRUZ with Operating as a Major Trafficker, Conspiracy in the Second Degree,
and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First and Third Degrees, following the
seizure of 50 kilograms of cocaine (approximately 110 pounds) from a tractor-trailer truck stopped in
Virginia. The large load of cocaine was headed towards New York City and carried a street value of at
least $1.25 million.
Bridget G. Brennan, New York City’s Special Narcotics Prosecutor, 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 L. Sewell and Ricky J. Patel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland
Security Investigations (HSI) New York, announced the indictment today as JOSE DELACRUZ
appeared before Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Steven Statsinger for arraignment on the
indictment.
The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by the New York Organized Crime Drug
Enforcement Strike Force, Group Z-21, with assistance from the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office in
Virginia.
Between September 27 and September 30, 2021, a wiretap investigation revealed JOSE DELACRUZ
allegedly engaged in a series of phone conversations in Spanish with LUIS DELACRUZ, a relative,
about receiving a bulk shipment of narcotics. The two used coded language as they allegedly arranged
for LUIS DELACRUZ to pick up 50 kilograms of cocaine and transport the narcotics cross-country to
the Bronx.
“Let’s see if we can pick up this weekend, and that way I can be over at the warehouse by Tuesday Wednesday,” JOSE DELACRUZ allegedly stated on September 30, 2021 in a call described in court
papers.
On October 2, 2021, a Sunday, the investigation revealed that LUIS DELACRUZ allegedly received a
bulk shipment of 50 kilograms of cocaine in Houston, Texas.
Four days later, on October 6, 2021, JOSE DELACRUZ allegedly received multiple calls from LUIS
DELACRUZ. “Saturday, be on the alert as to where I can make a stop at one of those locations, and
you can go in a cab and pick up the girl,” LUIS DELACRUZ allegedly stated in a call referenced in court
papers.
“Not a problem. Let’s do it that way,” JOSE DELACRUZ said, allegedly recognizing the code word “girl”
to mean “cocaine.”
On the night of October 6, 2021, agents and officers of Strike Force Group Z-21 determined that LUIS
DELACRUZ was travelling through Virginia. The following morning, at approximately 3:26 a.m.,
members of the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office stopped LUIS DELACRUZ after he exited the cabin
of a tractor-trailer at a truck stop located on Raphine Road, in Raphine. Inside the cabin of the tractor trailer, officers found two duffle bags containing 50 kilograms of cocaine. The truck was transporting
boxes food items, including snack chips and dip. LUIS DELACRUZ was arrested and faces federal
charges in Virginia.
Members of the Strike Force, Group Z-21 conducted court-authorized searches of JOSE DELACRUZ’s
apartment, located at 406 East 161st Street, Apt. 4F in the Bronx between January 11 and January 14,
2022. Agents and officers recovered approximately $24,600 cash, a kilo press used for shaping
narcotics into bricks, and a money-counter. A hidden trap compartment underneath the floor of the
bathroom was empty, but had a strong odor of cocaine. Agents and officers arrested JOSE DELACRUZ
on January 11, 2022. The judge at arraignment set bail at $300,000 cash or insurance company bail
bond and $600,000 partially secured bond.
Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan commended her office’s Special Investigations
Bureau, DEA New York Division, the New York City Police Department, and Homeland Security
Investigations (HSI) New York for their work on the investigation, and thanked the Rockbridge County
Sheriff’s Office.
The Strike Force is a crime-fighting unit comprising federal, state and local law enforcement agencies
supported by the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. Housed at the DEA’s New
York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA; the New York City Police Department; the
New York State Police; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations; the
U.S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Secret Service; the U.S. Marshals
Service; New York National Guard; the Clarkstown Police Department; U.S. Coast Guard; Port
Washington Police Department; and New York State Department of Corrections and Community
Supervision.
Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan said, “This investigation prevented more than 100
pounds of cocaine from reaching our city, where lethal mixtures of narcotics are leading to record high
numbers of overdose deaths. This success demonstrates that collaboration among law enforcement
agencies is a powerful tool against trafficking networks with nationwide resources and connections, and
is critical to reining in this crisis.”
DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Tim Foley said, “The DelaCruz cousins’ trafficking operation is
one example of how illegal drugs are coming to New York. Under the guise of transporting bags of
snack chips, DelaCruz was harboring over a million dollars’ worth of cocaine in duffle bags in the back
of the tractor trailer. Drug trends indicate that dealers are mixing cocaine with fentanyl, leading to users
unknowingly, and some knowingly, using the synthetic drug which is causing a rise in overdoses. This
significant seizure of cocaine and arrests of those responsible, prove that the New York Strike Force
and Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor are dedicated to keeping New Yorkers safe.”
Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said, “Today’s charges further affirm the NYPD’s unwavering
commitment to ridding our city of illegal drugs. And this investigation – involving more than a dozen law enforcement agencies across multiple states – is a perfect example of how focused collaboration
makes us all safer. The illegal drug trade wreaks havoc in our communities, and our job is to ensure
that anyone who traffics in this poison be brought to justice swiftly and successfully. To that end, I thank
and commend the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York, the New York Organized
Crime Drug Enforcement Strike Force, the DEA New York Division, Homeland Security Investigations
New York, and all of our local, state, and federal law-enforcement colleagues for their close partnership
on this critical case.”
“The less-than dynamic Delacruz duo allegedly thought that they could evade law enforcement by
speaking in code to one another and attempting to conceal 50 kilograms of cocaine in a truck hauling
snacks - but they were wrong. HSI and its partners on the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Strike
Force cracked the code, found the cocaine, and charged Jose Delacruz for his role in narcotics
trafficking,” said Homeland Security Investigations, Acting Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “HSI
New York working with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners at the Office of the Special
Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York, will continue to tirelessly pursue narcotics traffickers,
who demonstrate blatant disregard for the addiction and damage to lives they cause.”
Defendant Jose Delacruz
Bronx, NY
Age: 57
Charges - Operating as a Major Trafficker – 1 ct, Conspiracy 2nd – 1 ct, CPCS 1st - 1 ct, CPCS 3rd -1 ct.
The charges and allegations are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until
proven guilty
