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  NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE
OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE

 
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:January 26 , 2001

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

John R. Hagerty, NJSP Public Information Office
(609) 882-2000 x6515
Emily Hornaday, DCJ
(609) 984-1936
 
 
NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE & MULTI-AGENCY NARCOTICS TASK FORCE TAKE-DOWN MONMOUTH COUNTY DRUG TRAFFICKING NETWORK 10 ARRESTED AFTER EARLY MORNING RAID

         Neptune, NJ - New Jersey Attorney General John J. Farmer, Jr., Colonel Carson J. Dunbar, Jr., Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, Kathryn Flicker, Director, Division of Criminal Justice and Monmouth County Prosecutor John Kaye, today announced the arrest of 10 individuals on drug-related charges and the seizure of over two kilograms (one kilogram equals 2.2 pounds) of cocaine with an estimated street-level distribution value of $100,000 in the wake of an early morning raid in the Monmouth County area.

         "The State Police detectives and law enforcement officers assigned to the Statewide Narcotics Task Force, the Monmouth and Ocean County Narcotics Strike Forces and from several municipal police departments successfully completed Phase I of an ongoing investigation," Attorney General Farmer said. "This investigation represents a cooperative law enforcement effort to attack a drug trafficking network alleged to be involved in the importation and distribution of considerable amounts of illegal cocaine."

         The year-long investigation, dubbed "Operation XOTIC" by task force detectives, got underway when detectives assigned to the State Police Narcotics and Organized Crime Bureau, Central Unit, developed information that significant amounts of cocaine was being shipped to the Asbury Park area for re-packaging and distribution throughout central and north Jersey. Armed with that investigative information, detectives from the Statewide Narcotics Task Force, the Monmouth and Ocean County prosecutor's offices narcotics strike forces (participants in the drug interdiction task force) the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and police officers from the Neptune Township, Neptune City, Asbury Park and Wall Township police departments established a twenty-four hour per day, seven-day-a-week investigation.

         At approximately 4:30 a.m. this morning, over 100 law enforcement officers assigned to the joint task force simultaneously raided seven residential locations in Neptune Township, Neptune City, Asbury Park and Wall Township. Armed with arrest and search warrants, the principal suspects were taken into custody without incident. Searches conducted pursuant to court authorized warrants resulted in the confiscation of the over two kilo's of cocaine, one-half pound of crack cocaine with a street value of over $25,000, $34,000 in cash and a .380 caliber handgun.

         The defendants are charged with various drug violations, including Leader of a Drug Trafficking Network, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance, Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, and weapons violations. The defendants remain in custody in the Monmouth County Jail in lieu of bail. Arrested and charged were:

  • Daniel Delgado, 31, of Wakefield Road, Neptune Township. Charged as the leader of a narcotics trafficking network and conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance;
  • Hector Virola, 27, of 55 Route 35, Neptune Township. Charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance and aggravated assault with a handgun (it is alleged that Virola brandished a handgun and threatened police officers involved in the arrest);
  • Ivonne Virola, 25, of 300 Wakefield Road, Neptune Township. Charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance;
  • Joey Ruiz, 20, 55 Route 35, Neptune Township. Charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance;
  • Jeffrey Nowell, 41, 226 Club Drive, Wall Township. Charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance;
  • Jose Morales, 29, of 98 Ridge Ave., Neptune City. Charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance and possession of a controlled dangerous substance. Morales is the owner of XOTIC Motorcycle Shop located at 901 Asbury Ave., Asbury Park.;
  • Francisco Morales, 31, 6 Fisher Ave., Neptune Township. Charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance;
  • Patricia McKinley, 25, 55 Route 35, Neptune Township. Charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance;
  • Patrick Steever, 36, 1907 Lincoln Ave., Wall Township. Charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance; and
  • Jamal Evans, 19, 519 Asbury Ave., Asbury Park. Charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance.

         The investigation remains ongoing. A criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until or unless proven guilty.

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