The Queens men were busted during a drug bust at 51-66 48th St. (pictured) in Woodside Tuesday (GMaps)
Feb. 25, 2022 By Michael Dorgan
Three Queens residents were arrested in a major drug bust in Woodside Tuesday night — where authorities seized heroin and fentanyl worth around $1.5 million.
The suspects were nabbed by members of the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force (NYDETF) during a raid of two apartments at 51-66 48th St. The apartments were being used as narcotics packaging mills, prosecutors announced Thursday.
Argeliz Nunez, 41, Pablo Rodriguez, 42, and Tiesha Cruz, 24 were arrested on drugs charges while trying to flee a basement apartment at the premises at around 9:35 p.m. Authorities recovered a loaded .22 caliber firearm from Rodriguez’s pants pocket.
According to the charges, authorities searched the basement apartment and discovered large quantities of drugs in powder form laid out on a table.
There were also a number of large zip lock bags containing additional drugs and thousands of glassine envelopes filled with suspected heroin and fentanyl. Additionally, authorities found two boxes as well as four large black bags filled with more narcotics.
Mail addressed to Rodriguez was found in this apartment, prosecutors said.
A group of Queens residents were arrested in a major drug bust in Maspeth Tuesday. Pictured are some of the drugs seized (Photo: Provided by Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor)
Authorities also searched a second-floor apartment at the premises and found five zip lock bags containing loose powder. There was also drug residue on a tabletop along with glassine envelopes stamped with brand names such as “Black Widow,” “Asylum” and “Gucci.”
Mail addressed to Nunez was found in this apartment, prosecutors said.
In total, authorities seized more than five kilograms of suspected heroin and fentanyl from the two apartments.
NYDETF also seized four vehicles allegedly associated with members of the drug trafficking organization. A 9mm handgun was recovered from a van.
Rodriguez and Cruz were arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on Wednesday while Nunez was arraigned Thursday, prosecutors said.
Guns seized during the drugs bust (Photo: Provided by Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor)
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