‘Operation Drive Thru’ In Newark Nets 5 Arrests, $400K In Drugs

NEWARK, NJ — New Jersey state police arrested five members of an alleged drug trafficking ring in Newark, recovering more than $400,000 worth of illegal drugs and $150,000 in cash in the process, authorities announced Thursday.

According to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, “Operation Drive Thru” began in April of 2018 and targeted a drug distribution network operating in Newark. Detectives from the New Jersey State Police Crime Suppression North Unit and Newark Police Department were able to identify five suspects and determined that the network sold “significant quantities of cocaine and heroin.”

On Wednesday, Dec.12, detectives from the New Jersey State Police Crime Suppression North Unit, T.E.A.M.S Unit, Gangs and Organized Crime North Unit, Trafficking North Unit, Fugitive Unit, and K-9 Unit along with the Newark Police Department and United States Marshals Service executed multiple search warrants in Newark.

As a result of the operation, detectives arrested five people. All were lodged at the Essex County Jail pending a detention hearing. The list of arrestees and charges includes:

• Dashon Coleman, 36, of Newark – Charged with Possession with intent to distribute CDS, Possession of a firearm while committing a CDS offense, Unlawful possession of a firearm, Money laundering, Certain person not to have weapons, “Various other CDS and weapons offenses”
• Hashawn Landrum, 39, of Newark - Possession with intent to distribute CDS, Possession of a firearm while committing a CDS offense, Certain person not to have weapons, “Various other CDS offenses”
• Quameer Elamin, 26, of Newark - Conspiracy to distribute CDS, Possession of a firearm while committing a CDS offense, “Various other CDS offenses”
• Lamon Thomas, 46, of Newark - Possession with intent to distribute CDS, Possession of CDS
• Keena Bryant, 28, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania - Possession with intent to distribute CDS

During the operation, police seized:

• 111,500 decks of heroin valued at $334,000
• 613 grams of cocaine valued at $45,000
• 462 grams of crack cocaine valued at $34,000
• 565 grams of marijuana valued at $5,650
• 443 grams of "other suspected drugs"
• 13 firearms including two AR-15 rifles, 10 handguns, and one shotgun
• $151,000 in cash
• Three vehicles including a 2015 BMW sedan, 2007 Acura RL, and 2012 Cadillac CTS

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