By Dustin Brown
Federal investigators last week seized more than two tons of cocaine with a street value of $120 million from a Maspeth warehouse and van, arresting four men – including two Glendale residents – on drug-selling charges, authorities said.
Queens District Attorney Richard Brown described the discovery of the 4,600-pound cocaine stockpile as “one of the largest drug seizures in the history of Queens County.”
On Jan. 28, a team of investigators with the city's Special Narcotics Prosecutor's Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency arrested four men believed to be members of an organization that smuggled thousands of pounds of cocaine into the United States by hiding it inside walls of a railroad car, authorities said.
The cocaine made its way to the warehouse at 51-18 Grand Ave. via a rail spur that runs alongside the building, Brown said.
Ricardo Morales, 41, and Pedro Vasquez-Fierros, 37, both of 79-79 78th Ave. in Glendale, have been charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance and conspiracy, and they face up to 25 years in prison if convicted, Brown said.
Also charged were Ramon Caba, 30, of the Bronx and Jose Gutierrez, 30, of Guadalajara, Mexico, Brown said.
“Countless lives have been saved from misery and degradation and we have prevented these deadly drugs from flowing into our neighborhoods to poison our youngsters,” Brown said in a release. “Vigorous enforcement of our drug laws kept these drugs from our streets and will continue to protect public safety.”
The cocaine was seized after investigators trailed a silver minivan and a Ford Explorer SUV as they drove away from the Grand Avenue warehouse to another Maspeth parking lot, where the minivan's driver left the vehicle and rode off in the Explorer.
Caba later entered the minivan and drove off, but when investigators gave chase he allegedly attempted to flee, Brown said. He was apprehended after a brief pursuit at 74th Street and 51st Drive, the DA said, and a search of the minivan uncovered about 800 pounds of cocaine.
Investigators later arrested Morales and Gutierrez, who had been riding in the Explorer, and Vasquez-Fierros, who had earlier been seen at the warehouse, Brown said.
When investigators searched the warehouse, they recovered an additional 3,800 pounds of cocaine along with equipment that had been used to cut open the internal walls of the rail car, Brown said.
Reach reporter Dustin Brown by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.
