By: Richard L. Smith
A 40-year-old Atlantic City man has been sentenced to nearly three decades in state prison for leading a large-scale narcotics trafficking network and illegally possessing firearms, authorities announced.
On Monday, October 6, 2025, Joseph Suarez was sentenced to an aggregate term of 28 years in New Jersey State Prison, with 14 years of parole ineligibility, after pleading guilty to charges of Leader of a Narcotics Trafficking Network and Possession of a Firearm for an Unlawful Purpose.
The sentence stems from a sweeping investigation known as Operation Florida Keys, which began in 2022 and targeted the Suarez brothers’ drug operation in Atlantic City.
On November 14, 2022, members of the Atlantic City Police Department, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration executed approximately 20 search warrants across Atlantic County.
During the operation, investigators seized more than 40,000 folds of fentanyl packaged for sale, over $85,000 in cash, two handguns, and 5.6 ounces of crack cocaine.
Authorities said Joseph Suarez orchestrated shipments of crack cocaine and fentanyl into Atlantic City, coordinating deliveries from Philadelphia and the Bronx.
He also directed a network of co-conspirators who stored and distributed the drugs on South Florida Avenue.
His twin brother, Justin Suarez, has also pleaded guilty to similar charges. He is expected to be sentenced later this month to a 25-year prison term, with 12 years of mandatory parole ineligibility.
The case highlights the continued impact of fentanyl and crack cocaine in South Jersey communities and the law enforcement partnerships working to dismantle drug trafficking networks.