The Hudson County Prosector’s Office Narcotics Task Force has seized over kilograms of MDMA/ketamine in North Bergen, with three arrested in the drug bust.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
On Thursday, February 22nd, three individuals were arrested in North Bergen following an investigation by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said in a statement.
Mauricio Hurtado, 42, of Secaucus, Jose Restrepo, 57, of North Bergen, and Carlos Florez, 49, of Bloomingdale, are charged with possession with the intent to distribute (MDMA), possession with the intent to distribute (ketamine), conspiracy to distribute (MDMA, and conspiracy to Distribute (ketamine.
They were arrested in the area of 91st Street and Bergenwood Avenue, where the drugs seized were valued at approximately $500,000.
The recovered narcotics are described as a pink and bright yellow substances most commonly used for recreational purposes and known for its hallucinogenic effects.
Following the arrests, a court-authorized search warrant was conducted of Hurtado’s Secaucus apartment on Friday, February 23rd.
A handgun, over $100,000 in cash, suspected proceeds from narcotics transactions, and narcotics were seized.
Hurtado was additionally charged with possession with the intent to distribute (MDMA), possession with the intent to distribute (ketamine), possession of a firearm while committing a CDS offense, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, money laundering, and possession of drug paraphernalia with the intent to distribute.
Suarez credited the HCPO Narcotics Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, and the United States Postal Inspection Service with the investigation and arrests, with assistance from the Secaucus Police Department and the North Bergen Police Department.
