Suspects caught for suspicion of the operation of a $7 Million fentanyl and heroin distribution released without bail on Wednesday morning.
The said release was possible because of the new criminal justice law from New York.
The authorities made the arrest on Monday, while finding an estimated of $7 million worth of drugs in a one-bedroom apartment in Bronx.
All six suspects were free to go without bail even after having caught with 750,000 drug-filled glassine envelopes.
Suspects arrested were Livo Valdez, 25, Jaslin Baldera, 24, Frederick Baldera, 23, Frandi Ledema, 23, Diego Tejada, 21, and Parfraimy Antonio, 21.
They were all charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and of criminally using drug paraphernalia.
The authorities entered the apartment at around 7:25pm on Monday, where they found the six suspects packaging the glassine envelopes.
The said apartment contained thousands of glassine envelopes, which covers two tabletops, cardboard boxes and plastic bins both on the floor and on bed.
As of January 1, 2020, New York’s criminal justice reforms eliminated cash bail for misdemeanors and non-violent offenses pending trial.
According to Assistant District Attorney Michael Di Paolo, none of the defendants are eligible for bail, as none of them had a previous criminal record.
All six suspects are due to be back on court on February 27, and were asked to hand over their passports in which some of them were found to have connections to the Dominican Republic.
Source: William Miller / NYP
Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan had said in a statement that the amount of heroin and fentanyl found in the apartment is shocking.
Even veteran investigators still find it surprising that this packaging and distribution operation run on a small apartment is that significant.
The said drug-filled envelopes were meant to be distributed in Bronx and in New England, and dwarves New York City as a hub for mass distribution of deadly drugs.
This arrest only proves that heroin is still in the neighborhood, which brings danger and death to our doorsteps.