Berks, Montgomery authorities bust multimillion-dollar drug ring
A multimillion-dollar drug ring that was headed by a federal prison inmate and shipped huge quantities of cocaine and fentanyl through the mail from Mexico to Berks and Montgomery counties by way of Puerto Rico has been dismantled, local authorities announced Thursday.
Seventeen of the 27 defendants charged as a result of the multiagency investigation, dubbed “Operation Snowball,” have been arrested and drugs with a street value of $4.3 million were seized, Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams and Montgomery
County District Attorney Kevin Steele said in a news conference at the Berks County Services Center.
The combined law enforcement team intercepted electronic communications Carlos Lopez Rosado, a 46-year-old inmate at the Federal Correctional Institute Schuylkill in Minersville, Schuylkill County.
Steele said he believes authorities have severed a significant pipeline of illegal drugs including fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that drug dealers often cut into various street drugs. He said the drugs seized in the investigation had a potential value of $4.3 million if packaged and sold on the street.
Adams said the cases will be prosecuted in Berks.
Numerous parcels destined for residences in Reading were intercepted by USPS inspectors. These parcels were searched, and numerous kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl were discovered and seized.
On Nov. 3 and 4, investigators obtained search warrants for nine Reading homes, one in Norristown and another in the city of Lancaster. Nine of the 27 defendants were arrested then. As a result of the investigation, authorities said they seized:
About 55 pounds of cocaine with a bulk value of $770,000 and worth up to $2.7 million if packaged for street sales.
About 12 pounds of fentanyl with a bulk value of $203,000 that could produce up to $1.6 million in street sales.
Six handguns and four drum-style gun magazines.
$60,000 believed to be the proceeds of illegal drug sales. 40 cellphones.
Large amounts of processing and packaging materials related to heroin and cocaine distribution.
Those arrested Thursday were taken to the Berks sheriff ’s central processing unit, where they were awaiting arraignment. Those previously arrested are being held in the Berks prison awaiting hearings.
Besides Lopez Rosado, the following suspects from
Reading were in custody as of Thursday afternoon:
Jessica Lopez-Albino, 37, of the first 1600 block Perkiomen Avenue.
Julio EchevarriaEstremera, 30, of the first block Hancock Boulevard.
Edwin Malave, 55, of the 500 block Minor Street.
Jeremy Morales, 30, of the first block Culvert Street.
Roddy Sanchez-Martinez, 28,ofthe1300blockAvenueC.
Omar Colon-Cruz, 45, of the 500 block Minor Street.
Idris Williams, 44, of the 1300 block Good Street.
Andre Malave, 38, of the 500 block Minor Street.
Christian Arroyo-Rivera, 21, of the 800 block North 10th Street.
Arnold Felix-Castro, 30, of the 300 block South 13th Street.
Raquel RiveraMaldonado, 45, of the 300 block North 12th Street.
Jose Escobar-Camacho, 39, of the 300 block North 12th Street.
From Montgomery County:
Victor Rodriguez, 55, of the 400 block Arch Street, Norristown.
Milton Hernandez-Ferrer, 72, of the 500 block East High Street, Pottstown.
From Lancaster:
Alex R. Valentin Rios, 32, of the 500 block of Duke Street.
All are all charged with possessing and intending to deliver controlled substances, conspiracy and related counts.