687-Pound Cocaine Bust In Plainview Has Traffickers Facing Life In Prison: Authorities
Two Florida men face up to 25 years to life in prison after police found more than 300 kilograms of cocaine in a pickup truck outside a Long Island hotel, prosecutors said.
Daniel Santana, 36, and Michael Viera, 41, of DeLand, FL, were indicted Thursday, Oct. 8 on major trafficking and drug possession charges following the seizure in Plainview, the Nassau County District Attorney’s office said.
The investigation unfolded outside the Holiday Inn on Sunnyside Boulevard on Jan. 29, 2026, authorities said.
Detectives watched a black Dodge Ram pull into the parking lot near a white Mercedes-Ben…
Police Dog Sniffs Out Two Kilos Of Hidden Cocaine At Albany Traffic Stop: Authorities
A New York City man hauling two kilograms of cocaine through the Capital Region was busted with the help of a police dog, authorities said.
Kelvin L. Montana, 52, of Brooklyn, had hidden the coke in his vehicle while traveling on I-87 through Albany, New York State Police said Tuesday, Oct. 6.
Troopers pulled Montana over for a traffic violation around 1:10 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, state police said.
With the assistance of K-9 officer “J,” the investigators located more than two kilograms of cocaine in a “concealed compartment” inside Montana’s vehicle, troopers said.
Montana was charged…
Norwalk Drug Probe Ends With 2 Arrests And A Carload Of Charges
A Connecticut man and woman face drug charges after police said a traffic stop turned up cocaine, heroin/fentanyl and supplies used to package drugs for sale.
Charles Piazza, 49, and Melissa Kozma, 40, were pulled over at Spring Hill Avenue and Loomis Street in Norwalk on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Both had outstanding arrest warrants tied to a drug investigation, Norwalk police said.
Investigators suspected the pair of selling cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, authorities said.
Officers searched their vehicle and uncovered 41.5 grams of powdered cocaine, more than four grams o…
Serial Kings Park Bank Robber With ‘No Funny Business’ Demand Note Headed Back To Prison: DA
A serial Long Island bank robber who hit two more banks in December 2025 was sentenced Thursday, Oct. 1 to more prison time, authorities said.
Brian Blackford, 52, of Kings Park, got five and a half to 11 years in prison after admitting to the heists, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office said. The sentence was consistent with his plea deal in August.
Blackford’s name, age, hometown, and general appearance match a man who was charged in seven bank robberies and arrested in 2014, according to prior reports. Blackford spent seven years in state prison before his release in November 20…
Half-Kilo Of Oxycodone Seized In Routine Albany Traffic Stop: Police
Two men were busted with nearly half a kilo of oxycodone after a traffic stop in the Capital District, police said.
Tasheem Haggray, 31, of Amsterdam, and Ptolemy Sutherland, 26, of Schenectady, had 506.5 grams of oxycodone in their car when they were pulled over, New York State Police said Thursday, Oct. 1.
Haggray was behind the wheel of a 2004 Buick sedan traveling northbound on the New York State Thruway in Albany on Friday, Sept. 25 when troopers pulled the vehicle over around 8:30 a.m., state police said.
Investigators found the oxycodone in the car and said Haggray showed signs of a…
Police Dog Sniffs Out Seven Kilos Of Cocaine In Rosendale Traffic Stop: Police
A New York man was busted driving through the Hudson Valley with seven kilograms of cocaine, police announced Friday, Sept. 25.
Jesus A. Camacho, 36, of Columbia, was pulled over just before 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15 on the New York State Thruway in Rosendale, New York State Police said.
Camacho was traveling northbound in a 2017 Nissan when he was stopped, authorities said. He was the only person in the car, according to officials.
As police were investigating, K-9 officer Kell was deployed and alerted troopers to the smell of narcotics, state police said. Investigators then found seven i…
Cocaine-Hauling Trio Busted After Saratoga Springs Driving Blunder: Police
A trio of New York men were busted with cocaine after they were pulled over in a traffic stop in the Capital Region, authorities said.
Steven M. Wescott, 40; Jason O. Allen, 47; and Patrick M. Howe, 48, were cuffed Thursday, Sept. 10 in Saratoga Springs, the Saratoga County Sheriff’s office said.
Wescott was behind the wheel of a vehicle that made an illegal signal around 3:15 p.m. Thursday on Hamilton Street, the sheriff’s office said. An investigation at the stop led to Wescott, Allen, and Howe all being charged with two counts of third-degree drug possession, according to authorities.
W…
ICE Detains 14 In Hackettstown
Fourteen people were detained following an ICE raid in Hackettstown Wednesday, Aug. 12, authorities said.
Two of the people detained, Rafael Salazar and Luis Rivera Guillen, have criminal records, a spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement said. Salazar, a native of the Dominican Republic, was previously arrested in Miami for cocaine possession while Guillen, a Honduras native, has prior convictions in New York for criminal mischief with intent to damage property and possession of controlled substances, ICE said.
Everyone detained had illegally entered the United States at some …
Fentanyl-Hauling Duo Busted Headed North In Yonkers: Police
Two New Yorkers driving through Westchester County were busted with pre-packaged fentanyl for sale, authorities said Friday, July 24.
Brad Columbus, 41, and Danielle Ostrum, 37, both of Schenectady, were arrested Monday, July 20 after a traffic stop on the northbound New York State Thruway in Yonkers, New York State Police said.
Troopers found multiple glassine envelopes with fentanyl, a couple grams of cocaine, and “several other varieties and amounts” of illegal drugs, according to police. Columbus was also busted for driving without a license, authorities said.
Both Columbus and Ostrum …
Cocaine Found On East Hampton DWI Suspect At Police Station: Authorities
A Long Island man was busted driving drunk through the Hamptons over Memorial Day Weekend, then hit with an extra charge after cops found cocaine on him, police said.
Leonel Josue Martinez Biznay, 23, was arrested around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, May 24, the East Hampton Town Police Department said.
Martinez Biznay, of East Hampton, was driving a 2015 Ram pickup truck northbound on Springs Fireplace Road, police said. An officer observed Martinez Biznay’s vehicle failing to maintain its lane and repeatedly crossing the white fog line on the right side of the road, authorities said.
Cops also learn…
Four NY Men Busted With Illegal Guns Across Cap Region: State Police
Four Capital Region men were busted on illegal gun charges in the past week, including one who attempted to take off on foot after a traffic stop, state police announced Friday, May 8.
Andrew Reid, a 40-year-old Schenectady man, was pulled over around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 5 for a traffic violation, New York State Police said. During the stop, cops located an unregistered, unserialized “ghost gun” in plain view, police said.
Troopers seized the weapon, but as they were detaining Reid, he resisted arrest and took off on foot, authorities said. However, cops quickly caught him and later disc…
LI Spa Sweep: Prostitution Bust Nets Four Arrests In Hempstead, Suspects Handed Off To ICE
Four people were busted in a Long Island prostitution investigation across two illegal massage parlors on Wednesday, April 22, police said.
Cops raided Lilac Spa and No. 8 Beauty Spa in Hempstead, which operate about 1 mile from each other, the Nassau County Police Department said.
Qin Zhao, 42, and Yi Lin, 35, were arrested and charged with prostitution and unauthorized practice of a profession, police said.
Hongyan Fang, 43, was charged with unauthorized practice of a profession, and Jiang Yuhang, 44, was charged with attempted drug possession, authorities said.
Zhao, Fang, and Yuhang a…
Ecstasy, Cocaine, Weed Found In Traffic Stop Near Teaneck High School: Cops
A routine traffic stop in Teaneck led to the seizure of multiple drugs, including ecstasy, cocaine, and marijuana, police said.
The incident happened on Thursday, March 26, at approximately 11:32 p.m., when Officer Kevin Rodriguez was conducting traffic enforcement near Teaneck Road and Selvage Avenue, right outside of Teaneck High School, according to Teaneck Deputy Chief Seth Kriegel.
Rodriguez stopped a gray Honda Accord for a motor vehicle violation and made contact with the driver, identified as Aurelio Sanchez, of Paterson, Kriegel said. During the investigation, the officer saw …
Kids Sitting Next To Cocaine In Malta Drug Bust: State Police
A New York man was arrested while transporting half a pound of cocaine next to two children in his back seat, authorities said Tuesday, March 17.
Jonathan Rivera, a 37-year-old Flushing man, was pulled over on I-87 in Malta for a traffic stop around 11:15 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, which led to the discovery of the drugs, state police said.
A K9 officer found the half-pound package that later tested positive for cocaine, according to authorities. The package was sitting within an arm’s reach of the two children, who were both under age 16, investigators said.
Rivera was charged with two c…
130 MPH Chase On I-95 Lands Spotsy Felon Behind Bars, Sheriff Says
A Virginia man hit speeds topping 130 mph during a high-speed chase that ended in a crash on I-95, authorities said.
Spotsylvania resident Dareion English, 28, is facing a host of charges following a high-risk, low-reward chase that ended with the convicted felon busted with an illegal weapon.
Deputies were called around 9:07 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, to the 10000 block of Patriot Highway for a report of a person brandishing a firearm, according to the Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office.
A deputy spotted the suspect vehicle and tried to stop it, but English refused, fleeing north on Patriot …
Guns, MDMA, Cocaine Found In Car Stopped On I-684 In Southeast: Duo Arrested, Police Say
A Bronx woman and a Pennsylvania man are behind bars after a traffic stop on Interstate 684 in the Hudson Valley, NY turned into a major drug and gun bust, authorities announced.
The arrests happened on Friday, Aug. 22, when State Police said a BOLO (Be on the Lookout) was issued for a vehicle connected to a fraud investigation out of Port Jervis in Orange County, New York State Police said on Monday, Aug. 25.
Not long after, troopers spotted the car allegedly violating state vehicle and traffic laws while traveling on I-684 in the Putnam County town of Southeast. With help from the Putnam …
