$5 million heroin supply chain dismantled, 5 arrested
$115,000 cash, 2 guns seized
NEW YORK — Federal agents arrested five men and seized 12 kilograms of heroin – more than 26 lbs – worth at least $5 million dollars, plus $115,000 in cash, two guns and drug paraphernalia. The arrests and seizures follows a joint investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA)’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Strike Force and New York City’s Special Narcotics Prosecutor.
Orlando Rosario-Concepcion, 28, of Paterson, New Jersey, is accused of heading the Bronx and Washington Heights-based drug trafficking organization that supplied local dealers in New York City, upstate counties and Long Island. Jonathan Almonte, 27, Rodolofo Abreu-Crisotomo, 31, Jean Carlos Rosario-Ortiz, 28, Deckson Holguin-Rosario, 28 all from New York, New York are accused of overseeing an alleged heroin packaging mill.
“As heroin use continues to plague our communities, our collaborative efforts as members of the Strike Force is a great way to fight back to stem the tide of this dangerous and deadly epidemic" said Raymond R. Parmer Jr., special agent in charge HSI New York. “By initiating an investigation from the street user and climbing the ladder to the distributor has proven to be a successful method to taking down heroin mills like the ones operated by this drug trafficking organization.”
“Sadly, an untimely death from a heroin overdose triggered this investigation, but as a result our collaborative efforts prevented more than a million bags of heroin from hitting the streets,” said Bridget G. Brennan, special narcotics prosecutor New York City. “The leadership and expertise of the law enforcement team that handled this case has greatly enhanced our ability to reduce heroin supplies throughout New York State.”
“The heroin user population in the United States has almost doubled in a six year span, resulting in opioid addiction, heroin overdoses and too many deaths,” stated James J. Hunt, special agent in charge DEA New York. “Heroin traffickers are a national threat and a parents’ worst nightmare. Law enforcement at all levels are coming together to take back our communities from drug traffickers’ grasps by dismantling their distribution organizations, one by one.”
“Following a nearly yearlong investigation, a deadly heroin supply chain to Sullivan County has been cut off and dangerous drug dealers put behind bars. This Bronx supply operation fed heroin to upstate New York and led to overdose deaths, Joseph A. D'Amico, superintendent New York State Police. “Through collaboration and great police work, law enforcement was able to identify the source of the dangerous drug, shut down a heroin mill and seize more than 12 kilos of heroin, guns and cash. As a result of these seizures and arrests, lives have been saved.”
“Our preliminary investigation revealed that drug dealers from the Bronx were driving all the way up to the rural areas of Sullivan County to peddle their poison to our children,” said Michael Schiff, Sullivan County sheriff. “Once we pinpointed the source, we called for assistance.”
The investigation began in October 2014, following a heroin overdose in Sullivan County, New York.
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