"THE SPIRIT OF CO-OPERATION"

Beginning in April, 2001 Detective Peter Simon of the Perth Amboy Police Department's Narcotics Unit received information pertaining to the distribution of cocaine by a perth Amboy resident identified as Manuel Pujols. The information was that Pujols would receive several ounces of cocaine a week that would then be repackaged in gram quantities for distribution. Detective Simon contacted Investigator Eleazar Ricardo of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Narcotics Task Force, both Ricardo and Simon then began a joint investigation utilizing confidential informants and undercover officers in an attempt to secure a search warrant for Pujol's residence.

In September, 2001 Detective Shane Bodnar of the Woodbridge Police Department's Narcotics Unit received information regarding an individual identified as Manuel Pujols distributing multi-ounce quantities of cocaine in the Woodbridge/Rahway area. Upon contacting Group Supervisor Dennis Brannen of the Drug Enforcement Administrations HIDTA Group-2, Special Agent Joseph Thompson began making undercover purchases from Pujols at the Breathless Go-Go Bar located in Rahway, New Jersey. Their plan of action was to eventually order up a substantial quantity from Pujols and affect an arrest at that time. The fact that there were two active investigations involving Manuel Pujols became apparent when Detective Bodnar notified Detective Simon of their ongoing investigation in an attempt to ascertain background information pertaining to Pujols.

Upon learning of the dual investigations, Lieutenant Robert Hubner, the Commander of the Woodbridge Police Department's Narcotics Unit contacted Sergeant Albert Camisa of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Narcotic's Task Force looking to further the investigation by combining forces. A decision was made to maximize the efforts of all four agencies utilizing both electronic surveillance as well as undercover operatives in an attempt to identify Pujol's source of supply.

In the middle of April, 2002, a co-operative effort investigation of Manuel Pujols had begun. It was quickly learned that Pujols would purchase several ounces of cocaine every other day, which he would bag up and give to his several runners to distribute for him. There were also several sources of cocaine for Pujols that had been identified. The investigation split and duo investigations began of both those sources: Elvis Minaya of Perth Amboy, New Jersey and Rene Mendez of New Brunswick, New Jersey.

The Minaya investigation identified several co-conspirators and eventually led to an investigation on his source of supply for cocaine, who was also from the Perth Amboy area. Due to unforeseen circumstances this leg of the investigation came to a standstill, although information was passed along to the New Jersey State Police Gang Unit that enabled them to further investigations on individuals they had already targeted throughout the state.

The Mendez investigation quickly identified his source of cocaine supply as being Pablo Ceasar Fernandez aka"Andres" also from New Brunswick.

As a result of the Pujols and Minaya investigations 84 individuals charged with Conspiracy to Distribute/Conspiracy to Possess controlled dangerous substances have been arrested. In addition, over six thousand dollars and one-half ounce of cocaine has been seized.

The Mendez and Fernandez investigations resulted in both being found to be directly involved in the importation of eight kilograms of cocaine weekly from Guatemala, South America. Their cost was twenty thousand dollars per kilogram and resold each for twenty-five thousand dollars each, for a profit of forty thousand dollars per week. Eleven individuals had been arrested for Conspiracy to Distribue/Conspiracy to Possess controlled dangerous substances. In excess of seven kilograms of cocaine and over three hundred thirty-three thousand dollars has been seized.

In October, 2002 an investigation continued on a Mendez/Fernandez co-conspirator in New Brunswick, New Jersey who had been importing twenty kilograms of cocaine per week from Guatemala. This individual had also been sending hundreds of thousands of dollars back to Guatemala, secreted in hidden compartments he placed within vehicles. This investigation identified several individuals located in: Miami-Florida, Atlanta-Georgia, Maryland and Canada who were responsible for the importation of several hundred kilogram quantities of cocaine into the United States.

The NJNEOA congratulates: The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Narcotic Task Force, The Woodbridge Police Department's Narcotics Unit, The Perth Amboy Police Department's Narcotics Unit, The Drug Enforcement Administration's HIDTA Group-2, and The Middlesex County Sheriff's Department on a job well done. Congratulations are also given to: The Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Narcotics Task Force, The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Narcotics Task Force, The Mercer County Prosecutor's Office Narcotics Task Force, The Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office Narcotics Task Force, The Middletown Police Department, The Edison Police Department, The New Jersey State Police and The New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice for their generosity by assigning officers October through December to aid in the latter investigation. Without their help it would have been impossible for such an investigation to be conducted.

Kilo of cocaine and wooden spice rack which was one of many smuggled into the United States.