Large Quantities Of Cocaine Sold From Norwalk Liquor Store: Police

NORWALK, CT — Two men were arrested Wednesday in connection to a police investigation into cocaine sales and illegal gambling at a Norwalk liquor store, according to police.

In a new release, Police Sgt. Ryan Evarts said officers executed search and seizure warrants and a federal arrest warrant at Cocchia's Liquor Store on Ely Avenue after receiving information about a man selling large quantities of cocaine from the store.

After an investigation involving controlled purchases of cocaine, officers identified the man as Felix Galindo-Castillo, also known as "Cocchie," 48, of Norwalk, according to Evarts.

Evarts said Galindo-Castillo had an active federal arrest warrant, and officers learned he was also the founder of the violent Mexico-based Los Vagos Gang.

The federal New York arrest warrant charged Galindo-Castillo with illegal re-entry into the United States. That fugitive from justice bond was set at $1 million, according to Evarts.

While searching Cocchia's, officers discovered seven full size illegal gambling machines positioned in two different locations of the store. The gambling machines, which pay out cash collected at the front counter by providing a receipt ticket from the gambling device, are illegal, Evarts said.

Several bags of cocaine were found in the store's walk in beer cooler and on the person of both Galindo-Castillo and another man, Jose Gerado Fuentes-Lima, 44, of Norwalk, according to Evarts.

Two facsimile handguns were found on a shelf under the store's cash register, and approximately $4,932 in cash was seized from the gambling machines and found wrapped in rubber bands with gambling receipts. These were hidden in various liquor boxes in the store, Evarts said.

The proceeds of illegal gambling and cocaine sales will be applied for through state asset forfeiture. The inner control servers for each gambling machine were also seized during the search, Evarts said.

Galindo-Castillo was charged with sale of a narcotics, conspiracy to commit/sale of narcotics, possession of narcotics, conspiracy to commit/possession of narcotics and fugitive from justice for federal New York arrest warrant charging illegal re-entry into the United States.

His bond was set at $55,000, and at $1 million for the fugitive from justice charge. He is scheduled to appear in court later this month.

Fuentes-Lima was charged with possession of a controlled substance, conspiracy to commit/possession of a controlled substance, illegal gambling, sale of a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit/sale of a narcotic substance.

His bond was set at $55,000 and he is scheduled to appear in court later this month.

Evarts also noted this incident marks the second time in a year arrests connected to narcotics and gambling violations were made at the store.

The Norwalk Fire Department Fire Marshal's Division and the Connecticut State Consumer Protection Division (Liquor Control) assisted in this investigation, according to Evarts.