Group Busted Allegedly Smuggling Cocaine in Children’s Lunchboxes

Five radical were charged successful New York for allegedly smuggling cocaine successful children’s lunchboxes and schoolhouse binders sporting “images of fashionable cartoon characters,” authorities announced connected Oct. 27.

New York City’s Special Narcotics Prosecutor alleges that the radical “shipped galore packages containing cocaine from Puerto Rico to New York and Massachusetts” betwixt May 2020 and July 2021, according to a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) release.

They would allegedly fell bricks of cocaine successful the cutesy tiny zipper bags and past message them from Puerto Rico to residential addresses successful New York State, including successful Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, and Greene County, arsenic good arsenic to Massachusetts.

“Often, the named recipients were either fictitious oregon were existent individuals not associated with the address,” the merchandise said.
“Frequently, the instrumentality addresses were successful New York, contempt the packages originating successful Puerto Rico. At slightest 2 packages bore the instrumentality code of a luxury covering boutique successful Upper Manhattan.”

Based connected the “hallmarks” of respective packages that authorities recovered, U.S. Postal Inspectors uncovered astir 100 akin packages shipped since May of 2020.

Investigators utilized fingerprints to necktie six packages to antithetic members of the group.

In all, investigators recovered implicit 66 pounds of cocaine.

Cocaine allegedly smuggled successful children’s lunchboxes. (USPIS/NYDETF)

“Concealing narcotic drugs successful children’s lunchboxes was the modus operandi for this organization. If this maneuver was designed to propulsion disconnected instrumentality enforcement, it did not work,” said Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan successful the release.

Alleged “ringleader” Carlos Duarte, aka “Showtime,” was arrested connected the greeting of Oct. 27 successful his Yonkers location by agents, officers, and inspectors from the DEA, NYPD, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. They recovered connected country astir a lb of “a achromatic powdery substance, immoderate of which tested affirmative arsenic cocaine successful a tract test,” according to the DEA release.

Fellow alleged ringleader Alexis Garcia, aka “Ale G.,” was nabbed successful beforehand of a Yonkers signaling workplace with $12,000 connected him. Authorities recovered different $32,000 successful currency successful his home.

The 2 worked arsenic managers representing signaling artists successful Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, the investigators found.

“Frequent question successful transportation with this enactment allegedly served arsenic a screen for narcotics-related activity,” the merchandise said.

Of the 3 different alleged culprits, Rual Sweeney was arrested connected the nighttime of Oct. 26 successful the Bronx. Wesley Coddington, aka “Lucky,” was arrested connected Jan. 22 successful the Bronx. Inside the car helium was in, agents and officers recovered “a hidden trap compartment successful the backmost spot area” with 2 lunchboxes stuffed with immoderate 2 kilos (4.4 pounds) of cocaine, the merchandise said. Bryan Centeno-Rosado was arrested connected April 29 portion riding a livery car successful Yonkers. Officers and agents recovered 2 lunchboxes stuffed with 4 kilos (8.8 pounds) of cocaine.

They look charges including Conspiracy successful the Second Degree, Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance successful the First Degree, and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance successful the First and Third Degrees. Duarte besides faces the apical narcotics complaint of Operating arsenic a Major Trafficker.

“Over the years we person seen galore originative ways that cause traffickers conceal amerciable narcotics successful an effort to elude detection from instrumentality enforcement. Hiding narcotics successful kid branded items is pathetic,” said Postal Inspector successful Charge Philip Bartlett successful the release.

“Make nary mistake, instrumentality enforcement volition spare nary assets to bring them to justness for their crimes successful an effort to support the information of the communities we serve.”