A cooperative law enforcement operation results in the seizure of substantial quantities of narcotics and arrests of four suspects
HUDSON COUNTY, NJ – On Wednesday, July 19, 2023, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced the arrest of four individuals following a months-long narcotics investigation, marking a significant success for the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – New Jersey Division.
The investigative effort led to the confiscation of more than two kilograms of cocaine, over 125 grams of fentanyl, and in excess of $6,000 believed to be proceeds from narcotics transactions. The seized substances carry a combined street value estimated at over $74,000.
The arrested individuals include Franklin Rodriguez-Liberto, 40, of Jersey City; Richard Pena-Rodriguez, 37, of Union City; Steven Reyes, 44, of North Bergen, and Christopher Delacruz, 24, of New York. The charges against them encompass a variety of offenses, primarily involving possession with the intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute illicit substances. Rodriguez-Liberto, notably, faces an additional charge of money laundering.
The arrests took place on Mill Creek Drive in Secaucus. All four defendants were transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility, awaiting their initial court appearances. These charges result from multiple narcotics transactions that occurred in Secaucus and Kearny between April and July 2023.
Prosecutor Suarez acknowledged the collective efforts of several law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation and arrests. These include the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force, the DEA – New Jersey Division, the Elizabeth Police Department, the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations – Newark, Hudson County Regional SWAT, the Secaucus Police Department K9 Unit, and the Bayonne Police Department K9 Unit.
As per legal stipulations, all charges are considered accusations until proven otherwise, and the defendants are presumed innocent until established guilty.