Law enforcement agents in Manhattan made a big meth bust this week, cuffing two Pennsylvania men found in possession of 110 pounds of meth — with a street value of over half a million dollars — during a routine traffic stop, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Fernando Penaloza-Reyes, 43, and Raul Cruz-Torres, 41, both of Reading, PA, were arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on Sept. 17 on counts of second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
The bust, at a street value of $600,000, was one of the largest methamphetamine seizures to result in charges by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor (SNP), authorities said.
Both men were released after their arraignment without bail. Per NYS law, possession of methamphetamine, regardless of the quantity, is not a bail-eligible offense.
“Methamphetamine, sometimes mixed with fentanyl, is claiming an increasing number of lives in our state and nation,” SNP Bridget Brennan said. “Preventing more than 100 pounds of the drug from reaching our streets will save precious lives and prevent vulnerable communities from experiencing its destructive impact.”
Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New York Drug Enforcement Task Force (NYDETF) Group T-23 were doing surveillance, during which they stopped a black Chevrolet Tahoe with Pennsylvania license plates near West Street and Battery Place at around 9 a.m. on Sept. 16.
Penaloza-Reyes was allegedly driving the vehicle with the other defendant in the front passenger seat when law enforcement officials saw two large black duffel bags in the back seat.
NYDETF agents obtained a court-authorized search warrant and detained the two suspects while taking custody of the Tahoe. Agents and officers found approximately 50 vacuum-sealed packages of a white rocky substance alleged to by crystal methamphetamine, totaling 110 pounds.
NYDETF Group T-23 is comprised of agents and officers with the DEA New York Division, the NYPD and the New York State Police.
“The arrest of these individuals and the seizure of this substantial size of crystal meth, shows the commitment the DEA and our law enforcement partners have in targeting drug traffickers, and I’m thankful for the quick action of our special agents and law enforcement partners,” said Frank Tarentino III, DEA special agent in charge. “We have seen time and time again the damage synthetic drugs are having on our communities and DEA remains committed to saving lives and will continue to do everything we can to remove these drugs off our city streets.”
Official lab results confirming the drugs as crystal meth are pending.
