Cocaine, $18K Seized In Toms River-Lakewood Bust: Prosecutor

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Authorities seized nearly 100 grams of cocaine and $18,000 in cash as part of an investigation into drug distribution in Ocean County, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday.

Ivan Contreras-Cruz, 41, and Natalia Mihok, 49, both of Toms River, and Alberto Vasquez-Ventura, 27, of Lakewood, were arrested in connection with the investigation, which included searches of a Toms River home and two Lakewood homes on Sept. 22, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Investigators determined the three homes were being used for storage and distribution of cocaine, Billhimer said. On Sept. 22, authorities conducted surveillance on the three houses and after Contreras-Cruz and Vasquez-Ventura left one of the Lakewood homes in separate vehicles, they were pulled over and arrested, he said.

Search warrants were then executed at the three houses, and Mihok was arrested at the Toms River home, Billhimer said.

Contreras-Cruz was charged with distribution of more than a half-ounce of cocaine; possession of more than a half-ounce of cocaine with intent to distribute; conspiracy to distribute more than a half-ounce of cocaine; possession of cocaine; possession of drug paraphernalia and financial facilitation of criminal activity, Billhimer said. He was taken to the Ocean County Jail and later released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform, the prosecutor said.

Vasquez-Ventura was charged with two counts of conspiracy to distribute more than a half-ounce of cocaine; two counts of distribution of less than a half-ounce of cocaine; two counts of possession of less than a half-ounce of cocaine with intent to distribute; possession of cocaine; and conspiracy to commit financial facilitation of criminal activity, Billhimer said. He is being held in the Ocean County Jail pending trial.

Mihok was charged with possession of more than a half-ounce of cocaine with intent to distribute; conspiracy to distribute more than a half-ounce cocaine; possession of cocaine; possession of drug paraphernalia and financial facilitation of criminal activity, Billhimer said. Mihok was taken to the Ocean County Jail and later released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform, he said.

The prosecutor's office's Narcotics Strike Force and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas team assigned to Monmouth and Ocean counties collaborated with police in Lakewood and Toms River on the investigation, Billhimer said.

The prosecutor's office's Narcotics Strike Force and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas team assigned to Monmouth and Ocean counties collaborated with the Ocean County Sheriff's Office and police in Lakewood, Toms River and Jackson on the investigation, Billhimer said.