$3.3 Million in Heroin Seized by Philly, Federal Task Force

The biggest heroin bust in 20 years netted investigators more than $3.3 million in confiscated heroin and three suspects facing federal drug and RICO charges, according to the Philadelphia District Attorney and the U.S. DEA.

“This is a major bust and it only happened because of the great working relationship that we have with the DEA,” said District Attorney Seth Williams. “I hope that today’s announcement – and yes there are more to come – sends a clear message to the citizens of Philadelphia that we’re working to shut down drug houses like these in order to make our neighborhoods safer.”

Williams and DEA Agent Gary Tuggle told reporters during a news conference that the operation focused on three locations in Philadelphia that were used for drug distribution and money laundering, Bell’s Corner, Oxford Circle, and Rhawnhurst.

Martin Paulino Gomez, 40, Domingo Cedno Pimentel, 26, and Ricardo Ortiz-Rolon, 36, have been charged with Knowing and Intentional Possession of Controlled Substances, Manufacturing and Delivering and Possessing with Intent to Deliver Controlled Substances, Conspiracy, and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).

According to the DA’s office, officers and detectives began to investigate an area drug ring for laundering drug money in March. The following month, surveillance led officers to believe that the property located at 1818 Bergen Street in Philadelphia was being used as a safe house/stash house to prepare and store drugs and money

On April 28, 2015, officers stopped two defendants outside the Bergen St. property, one of which had just exited the house with a kilogram of heroin.

Investigators then used a search warrant to search the Bergen Street property and found nine additional kilograms of heroin, according to the DA’s office. A portion of heroin was cut into 18 racks, each containing 50 bundles, for a total of 11,700 individual packets of heroin with various stamps, Williams said.

The report says the search also yielded drug paraphernalia in addition to a heat sealer, several grinders, large and small clear baggies, stamps and digital scales.