Anthony "Snags" Garcia, 30, was charged Tuesday with leading a drug trafficking network, possession of narcotics, possession with intent to distribute, and distribution, said Prosecutor Jim Avigliano."They were getting packages of two kilos at a time mailed to an address in Paterson (and) they were mailing packages of money back to Puerto Rico," Avigliano said, adding that $48,000 out of a total of $67,000 was seized by authorities at the Paterson Post Office.Garcia was one of six men arrested. The others included his brother Luiz "Take" Garcia, 33, Wilfredo "Old Man" Rivera, 50, and Jeffrey "Phyzil" Crespo, 20, all of Paterson; and Karl Carrion, 32, and Jobany Cruz, 19, both of Newark, according to the prosecutor's office.Avigliano said all five men face similar charges of narcotics possession and distributing.The 35-day investigation was initiated by the prosecutor's Gangs/Narcotics Task Force.
Police were initially looking at the Garcia brothers who were operating out of Passaic County. Anthony Garcia is an alleged member of the Bloods criminal street gang "Dip Set" crew, which is an offshoot of the "Nine Trey," crew. Police determined that Rivera, an employee of the city of Paterson, was running an international cocaine smuggling operation and was the chief supplier. Rivera's operation shipped cocaine to Puerto Rico through the U.S. Postal Service, according to the prosecutor's office."Four packages were intercepted -- three contained two kilograms of cocaine that were destined to Paterson and then to Anthony Garcia," according to a statement from the prosecutor's office. It was learned that the money from the cocaine distribution was shipped back to Puerto Rico through the mail.
One intercepted package that was to be shipped to Puerto Rico contained $48,000. The Garcia brothers also were supplying heroin to Rivera, according to the prosecutor's office. Rivera also allegedly had a heroin distribution operation out of Paterson.Police conducted early morning raids in Newark, Paterson and at Anthony Garcia's Parsippany home located at 959 South Beverwyck Ave.Police seized six kilograms of cocaine, 1,530 baggies of heroin valued at $10 each, a pound of marijuana, a handgun, roughly $67,000 in cash, and three cars: a Corvette convertible, a Cadillac Escalade and a Nissan 350Z.
The prosecutor's office was assisted by U.S. Postal Service Inspectors, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and Clifton Police Department.
Police were initially looking at the Garcia brothers who were operating out of Passaic County. Anthony Garcia is an alleged member of the Bloods criminal street gang "Dip Set" crew, which is an offshoot of the "Nine Trey," crew. Police determined that Rivera, an employee of the city of Paterson, was running an international cocaine smuggling operation and was the chief supplier. Rivera's operation shipped cocaine to Puerto Rico through the U.S. Postal Service, according to the prosecutor's office."Four packages were intercepted -- three contained two kilograms of cocaine that were destined to Paterson and then to Anthony Garcia," according to a statement from the prosecutor's office. It was learned that the money from the cocaine distribution was shipped back to Puerto Rico through the mail.
One intercepted package that was to be shipped to Puerto Rico contained $48,000. The Garcia brothers also were supplying heroin to Rivera, according to the prosecutor's office. Rivera also allegedly had a heroin distribution operation out of Paterson.Police conducted early morning raids in Newark, Paterson and at Anthony Garcia's Parsippany home located at 959 South Beverwyck Ave.Police seized six kilograms of cocaine, 1,530 baggies of heroin valued at $10 each, a pound of marijuana, a handgun, roughly $67,000 in cash, and three cars: a Corvette convertible, a Cadillac Escalade and a Nissan 350Z.
The prosecutor's office was assisted by U.S. Postal Service Inspectors, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and Clifton Police Department.
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