100 Pounds of Cocaine, Worth $5M, Seized, 6 Arrested, in Times Square Hotel Drug Bust

By Charles Poladian | November 26 2012 6:47 PM

Six people have been arrested in a Times Square hotel in a drug bust where police seized more than 100 pounds of cocaine which had a street value of $5 million, authorities announced Monday.

Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor

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The arrest of the six alleged cocaine traffickers occurred on Oct. 25, reports The Associated Press. Police seized 105 pounds of cocaine from the Crowne Plaza Hotel in New York as the suspects were leaving the hotel.

Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan and New York State Police Superintendent Joseph A. D'Amico announced the indictment of the six individuals, identified as Fernando Alvarado, Luis Cuevas-Muniz, Roberto Alvarez, Gerinerdo Hernandez, Kaleb Alteiry-Vazquez and Juan Alverio-Ruiz, reports PIX11.

Alvarado and Cuevas-Muniz were seen leaving the Crowne Plaza, each holding a suitcase. Alvarado left in a BMW that was being driven by Hernandez while Cuevas-Muniz left in a cab that was being driven by Alvarez, reports PIX11. Police followed the three men and later arrested them. Cuevas-Muniz left eight pounds of cocaine in the cab and walked back to the Crowne Plaza, where he was arrested with a suitcase carrying 66 pounds of cocaine, reports the New York Post.

Alteiry-Vazquez and Alverio-Ruiz were arrested in the hotel room where the alleged traffickers were staying. Police found plastic wrapping used for the delivery of cocaine as well as plane tickets, notes the Post. A seventh possible suspect fled the scene and police were unable to apprehend the individual. According to the Post, the individual was talking to Cuevas-Muniz at the hotel as the arrest was taking place.

Alvarado, Hernandez and Alvarez are from the Bronx, N.Y., while Cuevas-Muniz and Alverio-Ruiz are from Tao Baja, Puerto Rico. Alteiry-Vazquez hails from Winston Salem, N.C., reports the Post.

All six suspects have been charged with one count of conspiracy in the second degree, one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree and one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, according to the city's special narcotics prosecutor.

The Post reports that four of the defendants have pleaded not guilty. Alvarez is scheduled for a Dec. 3 arraignment.