March 26, 2009
DEA Special Agent Douglas S. Collier, M.A.
Public Information Officer
TEL: (973) 776-1143
CELL: (862) 849-9833
Narcotics Distribution Network Dismantled by "Operation Life"
Heroin Distribution Network Included Members and Associates of Street Gangs
MAR 26  -- 
(Newark)  -- G erard P. McAleer, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division, New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram, Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin, and Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow today announced a series of arrests which mark the culmination of an 8 month undercover investigation which was conducted jointly by the Narcotics and Organized Criminal Enterprises Section - Gang Task Force of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and United States Drug Enforcement Administration High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area ("H.I.D.T.A.") Task Force.
The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office's Narcotics and Organized Criminal Enterprises Section - Gang Task Force is comprised of county detectives and officers from the Asbury Park, Bradley Beach, Tinton Falls and Ocean Township police departments and Monmouth County Sheriff's Office. Also assisting the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and D.E.A. H.I.D.T.A. members with this investigation were the Freehold Boro, Neptune Township, and Wall Township police departments, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, Essex County Sheriff's Office, New Jersey State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation Red Bank Resident Office. The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and the Howell Township and Lakewood police departments assisted in effecting the arrests.
The D.E.A. H.I.D.T.A. consists of the following thirteen agencies: Elizabeth Police Department, Essex County Sheriff's Department, Hudson County Sheriff's Office, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("I.C.E."), Internal Revenue Service, Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, Morris County Prosecutor's Office, New Jersey State Police, Newark Police Department, Passaic County Sheriff's Office, Passaic Police Department, Paterson Police Department, and Union County Prosecutor's Office and D.E.A. New Jersey Division.
The majority of the arrests were made on March 24, 2009. However, several arrests were made previously during the course of the investigation.
The investigation, which was named "Operation Life," commenced in the Summer of 2008 when controlled purchases of heroin and cocaine were made from individuals within the narcotics distribution network. Additional investigative tools were then utilized to identify other members of the network, as well as to determine their methods of operation.
During the course of the investigation substantial quantities of controlled dangerous substances with a street value of nearly $1,000,000 was seized, including approximately 30,700 glassine bags of heroin in "brick" packaging with a total weight in excess of 6  pounds, having an approximate street value of $460,500. The investigation disclosed that the network distributed approximately 1000 "bricks" of heroin per week. A "brick" is comprised of 50 glassine bags of heroin. The following was also seized: approximately 125 grams of cocaine having an approximate street value of $9,500 and approximately one and one-half pounds of marijuana having an approximate street value of $7,500. In addition, approximately $72,800 in United States currency, eleven (11) handguns, one stun gun, and 12 automobiles were seized.