HUDSON COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE NARCOTICS TASK FORCE ARRESTS 20 MEMBERS OF MAJOR DRUG TRAFFICKING NETWORK OPERATING IN HUDSON, UNION, BERGEN AND ESSEX COUNTIES AND NYC

Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez has released the following information:

Following a year-long investigation, members of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, and the New York Police Department, as well as other local, county, and federal law enforcement partners, arrested 20 individuals and dismantled a large-scale narcotics trafficking network operating in Hudson, Essex, Bergen and Union Counties, as well as New York City, and charged those involved with various narcotics offenses.

In addition to the arrests, officers seized more than 9,400 grams of fentanyl, more than 3,400 grams of cocaine, more than 1,700 grams of methamphetamine, more than 800 grams of fentanyl pills, approximately 8 grams of heroin, and a loaded firearm.

The Task Force also seized approximately $118,395 in United States currency. The street value of the total quantity of narcotics seized is approximately $1 million.

The operation’s ring leader and a major supplier of cocaine, fentanyl and heroin in Northern New Jersey – Juan Tejada of Union City – has been charged along with his intricate web of nearly two dozen associates.

The operation – which involved the execution of search warrants at approximately two dozen locations across New Jersey and New York – also brought down a fentanyl manufacturer and supplier, Juan Carlos Moreno, who was producing tens of thousands of fentanyl and fentanyl/heroin pills in Washington Heights in New York City that were later provided to the Tejada drug trafficking network and eventually into the hands of individuals in New Jersey.

“This was a large-scale, highly-organized narcotics trafficking network that for years had operated in Northern New Jersey and New York City funneling large volumes of heroin, fentanyl and cocaine onto the streets of our communities,” said Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez. “The Tejada brothers used front businesses and counter-surveillance and had built an intricate network they believed was impenetrable by law enforcement, however, this joint agency investigation demonstrates the power and reach of the law in stopping these deadly and destructive narcotics operations.”

Four main co-conspirators of Tejada – his wife, two brothers, and an associate – were also arrested, as well as seven couriers and seven main customers who themselves are mid-level drug dealers.  The narcotics were sold primarily in Union City, North Bergen, West New York, Bayonne, and municipalities in Essex, Bergen and Union Counties and Tejada employed the couriers to deliver the narcotics to his customers who then sold the drugs throughout the region.

“The veneer of seemingly legitimate businesses that include a barber shop and a used car lot gave the Tejada family the appearance of normalcy. However, the reality was quite different.  Behind the family run businesses was a transnational fentanyl and cocaine trafficking organization. The Tejada brothers and their organization have filled our streets with fentanyl and cocaine. That ends today,” said Jason Molina, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, Newark. “HSI and our law enforcement partners work together across the country and the world and bring down organizations like this, no matter how mighty or invisible they may seem.”

“These arrests represent another success in our ongoing work to keep New Yorkers from being victimized by illegal narcotics trafficking. I commend our NYPD officers, as well as all the agents and prosecutors involved, for their sustained efforts in this important case,” said NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea.

The following individuals were arrested and charged as noted:

1. Juan Tejada, AKA “RANGER,” age 31, of Union City, has been charged with two counts of Leader of Narcotics Trafficking Network (one count for cocaine and one count for fentanyl) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-3, a crime of the first degree; two counts of Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (one count for cocaine and one count for fentanyl) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree, two counts Possession of CDS (Fentanyl) with the Intent to Distribute in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(4), a crime of the second degree; three counts Possession of CDS (cocaine) with the Intent to Distribute in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(1), a crime of the first degree; Possession of CDS (heroin) with the Intent to Distribute in violation of  N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(3), a crime of the third degree; and Possession of CDS (fentanyl or its analog) with the Intent to Distribute in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(5), a crime of the third degree.
2. Enmanuel Tejada, age 24, of Union City, has been charged with two counts of Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (one count for cocaine and one count for fentanyl) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree; Possession of CDS (cocaine) with the Intent to Distribute in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(1), a crime of the first degree; and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25a, a crime of the third degree.
3. Jancel Tejada, age 30, of Union City, has been charged with Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (cocaine) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree; Possession of CDS (cocaine) with the Intent to Distribute in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(1), a crime of the first degree; and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25a, a crime of the third degree.
4. Manuel Rodriguez, AKA “MANOLO,” age 49, of Union City, has been charged with two counts of Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (one count for cocaine and one count for fentanyl) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree; Maintaining/Operating a CDS Production Facility in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-4, a crime of the first degree; Possession of CDS (heroin) with the Intent to Distribute in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(3), a crime of the third degree; Possession of CDS (fentanyl or its analog) with the Intent to Distribute in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(5), a crime of the third degree; and Possession of CDS (cocaine) with the Intent to Distribute N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(1), a crime of the first degree.
5. Milka Dominguez, AKA “RACHEL,” age 32, of Union City, has been charged with Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (fentanyl) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree.
6. Juan Carlos Moreno, AKA “SAMUEL,” age 43, of Manhattan, NY, has been charged with Leader of Narcotics Trafficking Network (fentanyl) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-3, a crime of the first degree; and Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (fentanyl) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree.
7. Jesus Leon-Segura, AKA “CHARRO,” age 48, of Union City, has been charged with two counts of Conspiracy of Manufacture/Distribute CDS (one count for cocaine and one count for fentanyl) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree.
8. Jorge Bisono, AKA “FLACO,” age 34, of Union City, has been charged with Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (cocaine), in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree; and Possession of CDS (cocaine) with the Intent to Distribute in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(1), a crime of the first degree.
9. Ammar Haimor, AKA “ARAB,” age 27, of Ridgefield, has been charged with two counts of Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (one count for cocaine and one count for fentanyl) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree.
10. Jassell Ventura, age 26, of Newark, has been charged with Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (cocaine) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree.
11. Rafael Franco, AKA “RAFFY,” age 34, of Newark, has been charged with two counts of Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (one count for cocaine and one count for fentanyl) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree.
12. Milton Gomez, Jr., age 51, of Bayonne, has been charged with Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (cocaine) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree; and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25a, a crime of the third degree.
13. Melvin Aviles, AKA “BORI,” age 37, of North Bergen, has been charged with Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (fentanyl) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree; and two counts Possession of CDS with the Intent to Distribute (one count for cocaine and one count for fentanyl) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(4), a crime of the second degree.
14. Jose Cruz-Perez, AKA “LAPIZ,” age 22, of Union City, has been charged Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (cocaine) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree.
15. Richard Gonzalez, age 36, of Elizabeth, has been charged with Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (cocaine) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree.
16. Curtis Lamont Lane, age 46, of Jersey City, has been charged with two counts of Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (one count for cocaine and one count for fentanyl) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree.
17. Aligie Delatorre, AKA “LIGI,” age 29, of Belleville, has been charged with Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (fentanyl) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree.
18. Fidel Torres, age 54, of Union City, has been charged with Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (cocaine) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree.
19. Jeremy Lopez-Urena, age 21, of West New York, has been charged with Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (cocaine) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree.
20. Antonio Hidalgo, AKA “CACONA,” age 43, of Manhattan, NY, has been charged with Conspiracy to Manufacture/Distribute CDS (fentanyl) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a/2C:35-5a, a crime of the second degree.

Additional arrests are expected.

Prosecutor Suarez credited the following law enforcement agencies for their role in Friday’s successful operation:

Investigative Agencies

Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office

Homeland Security Investigations – Newark

Homeland Security Investigations – John F. Kennedy Airport

New York City Police Department

US Attorney’s Office – District of New Jersey

US Attorney’s Office – Southern District of New York

Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor in the City of New York

Assisting Agencies

Hudson County Regional SWAT team

Hudson County Sheriff’s Office

Hudson County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit

Union City Police Department

Hoboken Police Department

North Bergen Police Department

West New York Police Department

Homeland Security Investigations – New Haven

Office of the Connecticut States Attorney, Asonia-Milford Judicial District

Union County Prosecutor’s Office

Drug Enforcement Administration – New Jersey Division

The state has moved to detain defendants Juan Tejada, Enmanuel Tejada, Jancel Tejada, Manuel Rodriguez, and Jorge Bisono.

The detention hearings have been scheduled for February 8, 2021. The above charges are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. R.P.C. 3.6(b)(6).