Nearly 700 lbs of cocaine valued at $20 million was seized in a major Long Island drug bust and two men now face charges, police say.
Nearly 700 pounds of cocaine were seized in Nassau County in what authorities are calling one of the largest drug busts in the county’s history.
Two men were arrested in connection with the discovery of 687 pounds of cocaine in a vehicle last Thursday. On Tuesday, police displayed the $20 million worth of cocaine during a news conference at Nassau County Police Headquarters in Mineola.
Officials said officers had been monitoring the parking lot of a Holiday Inn on Sunnyside Avenue in Plainview when they observed what they believed was a drug transaction. When authorities approached the truck containing the suspects, they found cocaine in the front seat.
“They got the two individuals out, placed them under arrest, and when they opened the trunk, they found 312 kilos of cocaine,” said Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder.
The arrested men were identified as Michael Viera, 40, and Daniel Santana, 35. Both were arraigned on charges of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first and third degrees, each carrying a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The suspects are residents of Deland, Florida, but officials noted they previously lived in Puerto Rico, where they faced homicide charges.
“This is over $20 million in street value that was destined for Long Island and could have impacted our youth,” Ryder said.
Nassau County Executive and Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman called it “one of the largest, if not the largest, drug bust we’ve ever had on Long Island.”
Prosecutors said they plan to pursue upgraded charges, including drug trafficking. The suspects remain in custody, and the investigation is ongoing.
Reports are sourced from official documents, law-enforcement updates, and credible investigations.
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