East Orange – An illegal narcotics manufacturing facility was shut down and $150,000 in drugs were seized early this morning as a law enforcement task force comprised of Essex County sheriff’s detectives and detectives from the Newark, Irvington and Bloomfield police departments filed multiple charges against a major narcotics trafficking suspect.
Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that the task force executed search warrants at the home of Jovanni Perez, 39, located at an address on Hoyt Street, Kearny, and at the alleged location of his drug stash, situated at 11 Ampere Parkway in East Orange today at 3:40 a.m.
“The Ampere Parkway location contained a large metal safe which contained 1,628 grams of powder cocaine, 129 grams of heroin, 3,680 grams of marijuana, 77 Ecstasy tablets, $5,410 in cash and a wide variety of drug packaging and processing materials and equipment,” Sheriff Fontoura said. “This drug manufacturing facility which was disguised with a bogus storefront was both fortified and equipped with surveillance cameras and other electronic gear.”
Fontoura added that Perez was arrested during the simultaneous execution of the search warrant at his residence.
The suspect was charged with four counts each of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS with intent to distribute and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of North 13th Street School in Newark. Perez was further charged with operating a narcotics manufacturing facility, maintaining a fortified structure and possession of narcotics paraphernalia.
Perez was lodged at the county jail where he awaits a bail hearing on today’s charges.