Paterson, NJ – A significant drug operation was dismantled on Saturday, Feb. 10, in a Haledon Avenue residence, thanks to a successful investigation spearheaded by Detective Jeffrey Welsh and the support of the Special Services Bureau, according to Deputy Police Chief George Guzman.
Authorities arrested Santiago Zapata Palomeque after discovering two five-gallon buckets filled with 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in his bedroom. The raid also unearthed cocaine, drug manufacturing equipment, and several counterfeit government identification cards.
Highlighting the operation’s risks, Deputy Chief Guzman pointed out the dangers associated with the chemicals used in producing MDMA, a synthetic stimulant popularly known as Ecstasy. These chemical processes can lead to severe injuries or fatalities. To mitigate potential hazards, local firefighters, the Board of Health, and a Passaic County Hazmat Team were on standby during the operation.
Palomeque faces charges of first-degree maintenance of a drug-production facility, alongside various drug possession offenses. He has been detained in Bergen County Jail, pending his initial court appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Paterson.
