www.BXTimes.com BRONX WEEKLY June 28, 2020 4
DEA busts major BX narcotics lab
Investigators fi nd drugs and chickens inside basement of Highbridge building
A south Bronx drug lab which
apparently doubled for cockfi
ghting in a residential Highbridge
DEA agents alongside the
NYPD raided the basement of
136 W. 170th St. on Friday, June
19, seizing three industrial pill
press machines which were
used to form counterfeit pills
from illicit drugs, over two and
half pounds of suspected heroin,
34 grams of suspected fentanyl
and approximately fi ve pounds
of methamphetamine, which included
a pound of crystal meth
and approximately 1,600 blue
methamphetamine pills, according
to the Offi ce of the Special
Narcotics Prosecutor.
“This is the fi rst time our offi
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BY ALEX MITCHELL
building is no more.
PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER:
Victoria Schneps-Yunis
CEO AND CO-PUBLISHER:
Joshua Schneps
ce has seen an illegal pill production
operation of this scale,
with three active pill presses,”
said Bridget G. Brennan.
“The lethal combination of
heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine,
disguised as familiar
pills, would have put unsuspecting
users at grave risk of
overdose,” she added.
To the shock of agents, an
estimated 30 to 50 roosters and
chickens that authorities believe
were being bred for cockfi
ghting were discovered in the
basement as well.
Prior to that major raid, surveillance
was ordered on suspect
Jenison Lebron of Manhattan
who was arrested along
with Alfredo Goris of the Bronx
on multiple possession charges.
Two days before the raid,
agents learned that three suspicious
packages from China believed
to be pill presses which
weighed more than 280 pounds
that were addressed to 626 10th
Street, Apartment 5, in Union
City, New Jersey.
Lebron was seen accepting
the packages in New Jersey,
wheeling them into the building
in hand trucks, according
to authorities.
He was then seen loading a
heavy blue barrel into the back
of a gray Acura, which Lebron
drove back the Highbridge
building while being covertly
tailed by a surveillance team.
The basement location was
determined after police viewed
footage showing both Lebron
and Goris entering the 170th
Street address through the cellar
door with heavy bags and
suitcases up to 48 hours prior to
the raid.
Both Lebron and Goris were
arrested as they left 136 W. 170th
St. at about 10 p.m. while the
building was being searched by
police.
The two were arraigned
over the weekend in Manhattan
Criminal Court, Goris was
released without bail while Lebron
was held in custody to appear
for a bail hearing regarding
a prior case.
DEA Special Agent in
Charge Ray Donovan called
the operation “a ticking time
bomb,” adding “with the capability
of highly dangerous controlled
substances distributed
to unsuspecting users, increasing
the risk of overdoses and fatalities.”
Images and video courtesy of Offi ce of
the Special Narcotics Prosecutor For
the City of New York.
BY JENNA BAGCAL
The wait is fi nally over.
After the Bronx Night Market
was put on hold due to COVID-19,
organizers of the popular outdoor
event announced that it will make
its grand return on Saturday, Aug.
1.
The event will take place at its
usual location in Fordham Plaza,
“every Saturday” from Aug. 1 until
the end of October. Organizers said
that they will roll out new safety
and sanitary features that will help
them transition to a “safe and gradual
return” including take out-style
food, social distancing measures
and attendee RSVP.
“While the end of the pandemic
is yet unclear, our ongoing dialogue
with city and state offi cials throughout
the past few months has positioned
us, as NYC phases through
the opening to be able to resume life,
business, and fun soon,” organizers
said in a statement.
Starting in 2017, Bronx Night
Market founders Amanda Celestino
and Marco Shalma concocted
the idea for an event to showcase the
borough’s best food, beverages and
crafts.
Over the past three years, Celestino
and Shalma have curated a diverse
network of local food vendors,
artist and live performers to delight
tens of thousands of annual attendees.
This year, the Bronx Night Market
will follow health and safety
guidelines set forth by Governor
Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio,
the Department of Health and
the Department of Transportation.
These measures include:
• limiting occupancy to 200, then
500
• spacing vendors 10+ feet apart
• providing limited seating
• adding thermometers, hand washing
and sanitizing stations
• mplementing a new cleaning regimen,
including thorough cleaning
between sessions
• laying down fl oor markers to outline
safe distances
• working on getting a contactless
app
• running health and safety miniseminars
for team members and
vendors
• communicating guidelines via
mailing list and social media
• adding checkpoints and surveys
running announcements • throughout
the event
• partnering with a local medical
institute that will have a designated
booth
• enforcing strict mask wearing
policy and providing disposable
masks
“Despite the changing format
and safety regulations, we’re coming
back stronger than ever and going
all out Bronx-style!” said the organizers.
Starting on Aug. 1, attendees
will get to taste the local fl avor and
delectable cuisines from food vendors
including made-to-order Colombian
empanadas from Chavas
Empanads, tasty soul food from
Cocotasco and an uptown crab and
seafood boil from Crabman Mike’s.
Other vendors include C Bao,
Downeast Lobstah, El Lechon De
Negron, Fried Lasagna Mama,
Hungarican Hotspot, L’nox Cafe, La
Braza, La’ Maoli, Mixto Tacos, MozzArepa,
Mysttik Masaala, Osicala
NYC, Rellenos, Revelations Catering,
San Antonio’s Wood Fired
Pizza, Sechebel Catering Co., The
BX Burger Co. and Wah Gwaan.
Patrons can also enjoy sweet
treats from Baked in Color, Chi Desserts,
Cozi Treats, Dre’s Water Ice
and Ice Cream, Island Love Cake,
Jess Pudd’in, Lokal Artisan Foods,
Made From Haven, Sam’s Fried Ice
Cream, Sweet Obsessions, Sweet
Shots By AJ, Spoonable Spirits and
Uptown Vegan.
For more information, visit
bronxnightmarket.com or fi nd
them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Bronx Night Market returns
Outdoor food event makes comeback to Fordham Plaza this August
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