Bristol County DA, postal service intercept special delivery: cocaine in Pokémon package

NEW BEDFORD – Law enforcement officials intercepted a special delivery from Puerto Rico: two kilograms of cocaine hidden within Pokémon art cases.

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III’s State Police Drug Task Force, working in conjunction with the U.S. Postal Service, stopped the international cocaine trafficking operation, arrested two New Bedford men and seized the two kilograms of cocaine hidden within Pokémon art cases that were shipped to the area from Puerto Rico, according to a press release.

The investigation into the international cocaine delivery service concluded on Tuesday morning when investigators with DA Quinn’s State Police Unit, a U.S. Postal Service inspector and detectives from the New Bedford Police Dept. set up a controlled delivery of a package that was sent from Puerto Rico to an apartment at 18 Viall St.

At approximately 10:40 a.m. Tuesday, an undercover postal inspector acting as a mail carrier delivered the package to the front porch of 18 Viall St.

Moments later, investigators surveilling the address witnessed Darren Casado Ruiz, 20, of 18 Viall St. retrieve the package and immediately begin jogging through the backyard towards Salisbury Street, according to the release.

The defendant then ran across Salisbury Street and entered a red Jeep Renegade which had arrived on the street and was idling its engine.

Investigators converged on the vehicle at that point and identified the operator as Angel Rodriguez, 19, of New Bedford. After detaining both defendants and obtaining a search warrant for the vehicle, investigators opened the parcel and retrieved two yellow plastic Pokémon art cases that were heat sealed with plastic.

After opening the cases, two kilograms of cocaine were found.

Both men were placed under arrest and charged with trafficking in excess of 200 grams of cocaine and conspiracy to violate the drug law.

Investigators have also learned that five other similar packages sent from Puerto Rico had been delivered to both defendants’ addresses during the past two months.

“I’m very pleased that this investigation led to the seizure of a significant amount of cocaine. I would like to thank the various agencies for their cooperative effort, which resulted in these arrests,” Quinn said.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford men arrested related to cocaine mailed via Puerto Rico