$100K Worth Of Cocaine, $4,800 In Cash Seized, 2 Charged In Brick Bust: Prosecutor

BRICK, NJ — Cocaine with a street value of $100,000, cash and a vehicle were seized and a Brick Township couple arrested as a result of a drug investigation, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced.

Gerardo Parada-Reyes, 39, and Veronica Anguiano-Hernandez, 34, were arrested Tuesday as authorities executed search warrants at the couple's home and car Tuesday evening, Capt. Jack Sramaty of the prosecutor's office said in a news release.

The arrests were the culmination of a multi-agency cooperative investigation into drug activity impacting the Ocean County area, he said.

Detectives from the Prosecutor’s Special Operations Group, Northern Enforcement Unit, along with members of the Brick Township and Lakewood Township police department investigated the distribution, and a Birch Drive home as being used by Parada-Reyes and Anguiano-Hernandez to store and distribute cocaine, along with a 2007 Dodge Nitro, he said.

Detectives from the prosecutor's office, along with members of Brick's Drug Enforcement Unit, K-9 Unit, and SERT Team, and the Lakewood Street Crimes Unit executed the search warrants and found about 3.5 pounds of cocaine along with about $4,800 in cash, Sramaty said.

Police also seized drug paraphernalia related to distribution, including a digital scale and packaging materials, he said.

The seized cocaine has an approximate street value of $100,000, Sramaty said. The 2007 Dodge Nitro was seized pending forfeiture proceedings, he said.

“The success of this investigation is a direct result of the excellent cooperation, commitment and communication of all involved agencies," Coronato said. "I am also heartened by the efforts of my Special Operations Group who in addition to this large seizure of cocaine seized nearly 3500 dosage units of heroin in less than a weeks’ time. We will continue our efforts to make Ocean County A NO DEALER ZONE.”

Parada -Reyes was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine over 5 ounces with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held at the Ocean County Jail, Toms River, in lieu of $250,000 bail, no 10 percent option, as set by Superior Court Judge James M. Blaney, Sramaty said.

Anguiano-Hernandez was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine over 5 ounces with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. She is being held at the county jail in lieu of $250,000 bail, no 10 percent option, as set by Blaney, he said.

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