Manalapan Man Named In Freehold Cocaine Ring

MANALAPAN, NJ — A Manalapan man was named over the weekend as part of a cocaine-smuggling ring operating out of downtown Freehold, police said. The cocaine was sold widely throughout Monmouth County, polices said, and towns such as Holmdel, Keansburg, Hazlet and Middletown helped with the investigation.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office announced Saturday that they dismantled the nine-member cocaine-distribution ring. It was based primarily in the downtown Freehold Borough area, and six of the nine men arrested were from Freehold. Law enforcement nicknamed the bust "Operation Snowball."

Gregorio Morales, 35, of Manalapan, was named as a member of the ring. He is charged with one count of third-degree conspiracy to possess cocaine. The other men were from Jackson and New Brunswick. Morales is pictured above, in a photo provided by the county prosecutor's office.

721 grams of cocaine and $14,943 were seized in the investigation.

Hugo Hernandez, 48, of Freehold Borough; Lucino Roldan-Coria, 58, of Freehold Borough, a/k/a Rufino Roldan; Carlos Hernandez-Campos, 35, of New Brunswick; Antonio Romano-Jiminez, 29, of Freehold borough, a/k/a Merito Romero-Jimenez; Miguel Garcia-Tapia, 30, of Freehold Borough; Procopio Morales-Trinidad, 49, of Freehold Borough; John A. Depaola, 53, of Jackson; and Roberto Tlapa De La Era, 35, of Freehold Borough were all arrested and charged.

Seven out of the nine men arrested had Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers out for their arrests.