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Bronx drug bust reveals cocaine stashed inside fake vegetables – Metro US

Bronx drug bust reveals cocaine stashed inside fake vegetables

Bronx drug bust reveals cocaine stashed inside fake vegetables
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A drug arrest in the Soundview section of the Bronx led authorities to uncover over 50 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside fake Latin American root vegetables in the basement of an apartment across from an elementary school.

On Tuesday, July 6, at around 1 p.m., authorities stopped Francisco Ramirez near the corner of East 172nd Street and Stratford Avenue after they observed suspicious activity, officials stated. A search of Ramirez uncovered eight envelopes of heroin, five baggies of cocaine, a quantity of crack cocaine, a bag of marijuana, $100,000 wrapped in bundles and eight plastic yuccas that a police dog alerted to the presence of narcotics.

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Agents and investigators then conducted a search of Ramirez’s basement apartment at 1264 Manor Ave. across from P.S. 196, officials added. There, they found four industrial-sized laundry bags containing 96 fake plastic yuccas that held 52 kilograms of cocaine, and elsewhere in the apartment they also found 500 grams of heroin, a money counter, a scale and $225,000 in cash.

“It is shocking to find such a large amount of drugs so close to a school,” Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan said. “On the heels of last week’s large heroin seizure, this is yet another reminder of the narcotics epidemic gripping our city and the tremendous work being done by investigators, agents and police officers.”

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Francisco Ramirez was arrested, authorities added. He has been charged with various counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance.