Two Egg Harbor City men were arrested and significant amounts of drugs seized after an investigation by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Gangs, Guns and Narcotics Unit.
Steven Martinez, 30, was operating a drug-production facility and faces charges that include weapons charges and first-degree possession with intent to distribute heroin, Prosecutor Damon Tyner announced Monday.
Search warrants served over two days last week resulted in the seizure of 25 pounds of marijuana, 6,750 bags of packaged heroin, 3 ounces of unpackaged heroin, an ounce of cocaine, a handgun, multiple high-capacity magazines, hollow-point ammunition and about $52,000 in cash, according to the report.
“These arrests and the confiscation of this load of narcotics, weapons and money represents a small victory for our community,” Tyner said. “Had this operation been allowed to continue to operate uninterrupted, 6,750 bags of heroin would have reached every municipality in our county and would have had a significant impact on an untold number of lives of addicts, their family members and the many faceless victims of drug abuse.”
Joshua Cortes, 25, was also arrested in the investigation and charged with second-degree marijuana possession with intent to distribute, conspiracy to contribute a controlled dangerous substance and possession of marijuana.
Both men are in the Atlantic County Justice Facility.