New York seizes $10 million in cocaine, largest haul in a decade

New York City police have seized a record-breaking amount of cocaine, confiscating approximately 263 kilograms valued at $10 million. This marks the largest seizure of the drug in at least a decade, according to city Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

The operation, conducted by multiple agencies over several months, targeted an interstate drug trafficking network with nationwide connections. The majority of the cocaine, divided into 147 brick-shaped packages, was found in a van. An additional 83 packages were discovered outside the vehicle in Long Island.

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This is a huge amount of narcotics that will never be broken down, packaged, sold, or distributed in our neighborhoods.

Authorities arrested Nelson Salcedo, 35, a resident of New Jersey, as he was unloading the cocaine into a warehouse in Queens. Salcedo pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal possession of controlled substances. He is being held at Riker's Island jail on $50,000 bail. The identities of the other two individuals arrested have not been released.

"This is a huge amount of narcotics that will never be broken down, packaged, sold, or distributed in our neighborhoods," Tisch stated during a joint press conference with the DEA and other agencies. DEA New Jersey Director Towanda Thorne James added that the seizure is a victory for law enforcement and the public, preventing over 580 pounds of cocaine from reaching the streets.

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Thanks to this investigation and the excellent collaboration between our partners in law enforcement, more than 580 pounds of cocaine will not reach our streets.