Long Island City, Queens – In a multi‑month investigation, NYPD officers seized over 580 pounds of cocaine—estimated at a street value of $10 million—from a self‑storage unit on a Queens warehouse complex. The operation targeted a suspected middleman for an international drug cartel.
Arrests and Seizure Details
Authorities arrested 35‑year‑old Nelson Salcedo of Englewood, New Jersey, after video captured him loading boxes of cocaine into a gray Nissan van at the storage site. Police recovered roughly 266 one‑kilogram packages, many found inside and outside the van.
Commissioner Jessica Tisch emphasized the scale, noting that “more than a quarter of a metric ton of cocaine was ready to move through an illegal distribution network.”
Potential Distribution Path
Investigators believe the narcotics were routinely shuttled from the warehouse to the northern end of Central Park under cover of darkness. Undercover officers observed Salcedo handing boxes to an unidentified suspect who remains at large, and two additional men have been detained in connection with the scheme.
Public‑Safety Impact
Assistant Chief Michael Baldassano of the NYPD Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau warned that the cocaine’s high purity could have been mixed with fentanyl, dramatically increasing both profit and the risk of fatal overdoses. Officials say the seizure prevents a significant influx of deadly substances into the community.
The investigation continues as detectives work to identify all participants and fully dismantle the distribution network.
Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.
