State Police and Partners Arrest
Four in Bust of Newark Heroin Mill
Newark, N.J. - State Police detectives, along with the Essex County Prosecutor's Office and the Newark
Police Department, arrested three men and one woman on Friday, February 22, for operating a heroin production facility
in an Astor St. basement apartment. One vehicle and two homes were searched, yielding more than $100,000 worth of
heroin in both raw and packaged forms.
A 2008 Volkswagon Touareg with two of the suspects was stopped just after leaving the Astor Street location as
troopers and officers were about to execute the search warrant. Oswaldo Hernandez, 39, of Belleville and Emmanuel
Delgado, 23, of Newark were in the SUV, along with 10 bricks (500 decks or doses) or heroin. They were arrested and
the vehicle, worth about $18,000 was seized.
Shaila Perez, 23, and Mitchell Valazquez 25 were located in the Astor Street apartment that was searched. They live
there with their baby daughter, who was turned over to relatives when they were arrested.
In the apartment, detectives found more than 5,000 decks and almost 100 grams of raw heroin, as well as packaging and
manufacturing supplies. A subsequent search of Hernandez's home in Belleville on the same evening yielded more than 150
grams of raw heroin. The total value of the heroin is more than $100,000.
All four subjects were charged with maintaining a CDS production facility, possession of heroin and paraphernalia,
possession with intent to distribute, and conspiracy. Hernandez was also charged with intent to distribute within 1000
feet of a school. Perez and Valazquez were also charged with endangering the welfare of a child. They were all lodged in
Essex County jail in default of bail; Hernandez on $350,000, Valazquez on $300,000, Perez on $250,000, and Delgado on
$215,000.
Some of the packaged heroin was stamped with the brand names VIP, Instagram and Castle Crook.
This case will be prosecuted by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice in the Office of the Attorney General.
Charges are mere accusations. All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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