Crime & Safety

Drugs Found at Liquor Store, Sheriff's Office Says

Search of business followed three-week investigation, sheriff says.

Essex County Sheriff’s officers raided a North Ward liquor store and arrested two people Thursday following residents’ complaints about drug trafficking, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.


Bureau of Narcotics detectives executed a search warrant at Hometown Liquor Store, 69 7th Ave., after a three-week investigation.


Officers arrested a woman, Tiffany Antonetty, 23, of Newark, who was allegedly seen tossing four glassine envelopes of heroin to the floor when police entered, Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said. Antonetty was charged with possession and released.

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The store’s manager, Nileshkum Patel, 40, of Jersey City a clerk, 49-year-old Nelson Cardona of Newark, were both arrested after officers found 38 envelopes of heroin in a counter drawer, Fontoura said. Investigators also reportedly found 335 grams of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in a back room.


The men were charged with several narcotics offenses, including conspiracy,and were ordered held on $40,000 bail each at their arraignment Friday.  

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