Three men have been indicted for narcotics conspiracy after over one ton of cocaine was intercepted entering the New York area last week.
Jorge Aponte-Guzman, Nelson Agramonte-Minaya, and Carlos Maisonet-Lopez were arrested in connection to transporting the cocaine through the New York region. Authorities explain that at the end of September, Aponte-Guzman used a rental van to travel to a New Jersey loading dock where he met with Agramonte-Minaya and Maisonet-Lopez. Once there, the men obtained about 460 kilos of cocaine that was packaged into 10 large metal lawn rollers that were shipped over to the U.S. from Puerto Rico. DEA agents later seized the second shipment of cocaine packaged in another 10 large metal lawn rollers. In total, the DEA seized 920 kilograms or 2,028 pounds of cocaine that had an estimated street value as high as $370 million.
DEA Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan explained, “A multimillion-dollar storm of cocaine was seized before it could wreak havoc in the Northeast. Over one ton of cocaine was seized, making it the largest cocaine seizure destined for the streets of New York in over a decade.”
Donovan goes on to explain that the “seizure signifies a shift in the illegal drug landscape in New York, with cocaine seizures rising more than 150% in the last year.”
The bust comes during a time when cocaine availability saw a decline throughout the nation. According to the DEA, cocaine availability dipped 14% in 2019 from the year before and has since been at its lowest in at least six years. Up until 2020, the supply has remained rather steady while other drugs like fentanyl continue to increase in availability.
This latest bust comes on the heels of a Southern California seizure that had been described as the largest methamphetamine bust in U.S. history at the time. In late October, Southern California DEA agents seized nearly 900 pounds of cocaine, 13 pounds of heroin, and 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine. The drugs were seized in a tractor-trailer that had the drugs hidden underneath medical supplies.
San Diego DEA Special Agent John Callery explained, "It's much more difficult for them to traffic the traditional way so we see them stockpiling and bringing in larger and larger amounts across in one shot."
"It seems to us that there's a bit of desperation for cartels to try and get meth and fentanyl into the U.S.," Callery adds.
Still, fentanyl remains to be the main focus in the U.S. fight against opioids. Federal agents detail that they have seen a 4,000 percent jump in fentanyl seizures over the past couple of years. Fentlyan, a synthetic opioid, is often laced with other opioids and is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine according to the CDC.
Authorities cite the increase in fentanyl production as Mexican cartels are able to synthetically manufacture the pills from raw materials purchased from China. As the cartels ramp up production of the pills, smugglers push them into the country from the southern border.
Just last week, a traffic stop by Arizona’s Department of Public Safety last Friday led to the arrest of two men and the seizure of at least 34 pounds of fentanyl pills. The driver, 30-year-old Mario Quinonez Osuna, was arrested for transporting the drugs for sale.
A search warrant was later executed and uncovered a larger stash including 37 pounds of fentanyl pills, eight pounds of methamphetamine, seven pounds of heroin and at least five pounds of what authorities describe as an “unknown substance.” Between the two busts, authorities estimate that the drugs were worth a collective $1.7 million.
