In a significant blow to drug trafficking in New York City, on Thursday, November 2nd, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the indictment of Victor Rodriguez, 43, on multiple drug and gun charges. The charges stem from a startling discovery in an abandoned Bellerose home, where millions of dollars worth of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and a stockpile of firearms were uncovered.
The discovery was made by a contractor who stumbled upon the stash after the recent sale of the property. Alerting the police led to a thorough search of the residence, revealing “eight kilograms of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine and 1.5 million glassine envelopes containing heroin or a mix of heroin and fentanyl” as reported in the District Attorney Katz’s press release. The street value of these drugs is estimated to be between $10 million and $11 million. This seizure also included several handguns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, highlighting the dangerous intersection of drug and gun crimes in the city.
District Attorney Katz emphasized the significance of the seizure, stating, “One can’t even calculate how many lives would have been cut short or ruined by these lethal narcotics and deadly weapons. Our families, friends, and neighborhoods are all safer thanks to this massive seizure.”
NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban praised the NYPD officers from the 105th Precinct and the Intelligence Bureau for their commitment to ridding the city of illegal narcotics and traffickers. He stressed the importance of holding those responsible for selling deadly poisons on the streets accountable.
Rodriguez, residing at 90th Avenue in Jamaica, faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted. His indictment includes charges of operating as a major trafficker, conspiracy, criminal possession of controlled substances, and various weapon-related offenses. Queens Supreme Court Justice Toni Cimino has scheduled Rodriguez’s next court appearance for later this week.
The investigation, led by NYPD Officers Rafael Musayev and Miguel Vanbrakle, along with Detectives Anthony Crescimanno and John Hart, uncovered additional evidence, including ghost guns, high-capacity ammunition feeding devices, and over 200 rounds of assorted ammunition. Assistant District Attorney Michael Bello is prosecuting the case, highlighting the ongoing efforts to combat drug and gun trafficking in the city.
