NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — Agents with the United State Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division recovered 360 pounds of cocaine from a tractor trailer in the Bronx during an interstate investigation last week, which prosecutors said resulted in the arrest of three men.
Jeffrey Alcantara of Manhattan, Karimzhan Ragibov of Ohio and Rayimzhon Binaliyev of Arizona were all charged with first- and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, according to the New York City Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s Office. They were arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on Saturday, Aug. 10.
“This seizure of more than 300 pounds of cocaine reflects the recent rise in cocaine trafficking to New York City that we have been tracking,” Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan said. “It is a dangerous and disturbing trend, especially as we find drugs like fentanyl and xylazine mixed in with cocaine sold on the streets.”
At 8:20 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 8, DEA agents were conducting surveillance when they saw a black Maxx-D Trailer stop near 1591 233rd St., located in the Eastchester section of the Bronx.
Moments later, a gray Jeep Cherokee arrived, and prosecutors said that DEA agents saw 30-year-old Alcantara—the alleged NYC-based narcotics distributor—exit the Jeep, walk to the trailer and begin talking to Ragibov and Binaliyev. He got in and out of the Jeep over the next 10 minutes and then directed the trailer to move down the street, at which point agents detained the three men.
Prosecutors said that Alcantara was preparing to tow the trailer with Ragibov, 28, and Binaliyev, 37, inside.
The tractor trailer and Jeep were also taken into DEA custody, pending a search warrant application. Once a court authorized the search on Friday, DEA agents and the NYPD’s Queens North Narcotics Major Case Unit found 360 pounds of cocaine in a trap compartment in the base of the trailer. Prosecutors said this carries a street value of at least $4.5 million.
When searching the Jeep, officials also found $30,000 in cash.
“I applaud the diligent work of our agents and those officers who located this hidden compartment and removed these illicit narcotics from the tri-state pipeline,” DEA New Jersey Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz said. “Removing these traffickers and their illicit narcotics from our streets saves lives and prevents deaths.”