The contractor stumbled upon a $10 million drug ring operating out of a home in the tranquil Bellrose neighborhood of Queens borough, according to district attorney Melinda Katz. The residence allegedly contained lethal narcotics including fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, according to the prosecution. Several handguns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were also recovered by the police.
Katz stated, “It is impossible to estimate the number of lives that would have been lost or destroyed as a result of the lethal narcotics and lethal weapons worth millions of dollars that were discovered.” “We do know for certain that this massive seizure has made our neighborhoods, friends, and families safer.” We are resolute in our determination to eradicate narcotics and firearms from our streets. All parties implicated in this lethal trafficking will be subject to legal prosecution.
A contractor arrived at the abandoned residence located at 249-27 88th Road on May 30th, subsequent to the property’s sale. The contractor discovered 1.5 million glassine envelopes containing heroin or a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, in addition to dozens of firearms and ammunition, upon entering the residence.
The contractor’s call to the authorities initiated an extensive investigation. Katz stated that photographs captured the defendant sprinting onto and from the property while carrying two containers. The prosecutor stated that the containers appeared to contain fifteen kilograms of narcotics.
The following day, in accordance with a court-issued search warrant, law enforcement personnel entered the premises and discovered the following: Around 1.5 million glassine envelopes containing either heroin or heroin and fentanyl, valued at approximately $10 million on the black market; Eight kilograms each of fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, with an estimated street value of $500,000; A minimum of one plastic bag containing a combination of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and the opioid analgesic tramadol; Thousands of glassine envelopes that are empty; Narcotic traffickers frequently employ three-kilogram presses to package substantial quantities of drugs.
Two respirator hoods that were utilized in the fabrication and packaging of prohibited narcotics; Two digital instruments; A total of five loaded P80 9 mm ghost gun semiautomatic pistols, one loaded.38-caliber revolver, one loaded.38-caliber Derringer semiautomatic pistol, one loaded Sig Sauer 9 mm pistol, one loaded Smith and Wesson 9 mm semiautomatic pistol, and one loaded.40-caliber semiautomatic pistol were among the firearms in question.
Five complete phantom gun kits, one of which contained unfinished frames that lacked functionality as firearms at the time of completion; Twenty-five ammunition feeding devices with significant capacities; More than two hundred rounds of diverse ammunition, including 9mm,.40 caliber, and.38 caliber rounds; A portable Dremel drill that is employed in the production and assembly of ghost weapons. A digital DVR recorder; Four mobile phones;
On 112 counts of indictment, prosecutors charged Victor Rodriguez of Jamaica Queens with functioning as a major trafficker and conspiracy in the second and fourth degrees. The defendant was found guilty of 26 counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, two counts of criminally using drug paraphernalia in the second degree, burglary in the first degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the first degree, and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree. Additionally, the defendant was found guilty of three counts of burglary in the first degree
Rodriguez faces between 25 years and life in prison if convicted. Justice Toni Cimino of the Queens Supreme Court ordered Rodriguez to appear in court again on November 6.
Commissioner of the New York Police Department Edward A. Caban stated, “The New York Police Department and our law enforcement partners are resolute in our determination to eradicate unlawful narcotics and the traffickers who endanger the lives of New Yorkers. Ensuring public safety is predicated on holding accountable those who have the moral compass to distribute these lethal toxins upon our thoroughfares. The officers of the 105th Precinct of the New York Police Department and our Intelligence Bureau, as well as all those affiliated with the office of the Queens District Attorney, are to be commended and thanked for their ceaseless endeavors regarding this critical case.
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