TRENTON, N.J. (1010 WINS) -- Police arrested three people including a mother and her adult son after more than $1.1 million in heroin was seized on Monday, New Jersey authorities announced.
Following an investigation, Trenton officials arrested 37-year-old Andrew Coates, his mother, 54-year-old Bridgett Coates, and 60-year-old Carmen Campbell.
All three suspects are facing multiple first-degree drug trafficking offenses, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.
Following a police pursuit that ended with Campbell crashing into a Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office vehicle and another vehicle, investigators discovered 2,200 bricks of heroin, or about 110,00 glassine bags, in the trunk of the car, authorities said.
There was also cocaine seized by detectives as a result of the three-month investigation, according to Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri, who called it "the largest pre-packaged heroin seizure in Mercer County history."
According to Onofri, the total street value of the confiscated drugs is $1,150,000. The heroin is valued at approximately $1.1 million and the cocaine is valued at approximately $50,000.
During the investigation, detectives allegedly observed Coates and Campbell enter a silver Nissan Altima and drive off, the prosecutor said. Officers followed the car to an Asian supermarket on St. Vincent Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and park in the lot, Onofri said.
Coates was then observed exiting the Altima, retrieving a weighted bag from the trunk, and then enter an unknown vehicle with the bag, the prosecutor said.
Minutes later, another unknown individual exited an unknown vehicle, retrieved three weighted bags, and placed them in the trunk of the Altima, Onofri said.
Coates then exited the unknown vehicle and re-entered the passenger side of the Altima, the prosecutor said.
The Nissan Altima reportedly left the area and surveillance officers followed it directly to Parkside and Parkway avenues in Trenton, according to Onofri.
Detectives in Trenton attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop of the Altima being driven by Campbell, authorities said.
While officers were exiting their vehicle, Campbell attempted to flee and allegedly struck a Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office vehicle and a civilian vehicle and, causing damage to all three vehicles, Onofri said
Campbell also reportedly ran over the foot of a MCPO detective and struck his side while continuing to try to flee, Onofri said.
Detectives were able to stop the car, and no injuries were sustained.
Officials then arrested both Coates and Campbell.
At Coates’ Bellevue Avenue residence, officials conducted a search where a canine sniffed out 250 grams of cocaine from a plastic trunk in the basement and a shopping bag containing clothes in the garage, Onofri said.
Officers also discovered $1,748 in cash, several rounds of ammunition, and two Sig Sauer gun magazines loaded with 9mm ammunition.
Coates’ mother was found inside of the residence at the time of the search and was taken into custody on a Homeland Security Investigations' warrant for several drug-related offenses in California, according to prosecutors.
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