N.J. State Police have said one was the largest cold-stop heroin seizure in U.S. history.
Two California truckers have admitted hauling huge, even historic amounts of drugs into New Jersey.
The pair were among three large busts last August at the Interstate 78 weigh station in Warren County. One, according to state police, was the largest cold-stop heroin seizure ever in the U.S.
Both 40-year-old Henry A. Cruz Ventura, of Los Angeles, and 59-year-old Oscar Franco, of Chula Vista, had hearings Friday in state Superior Court in Belvidere, the state attorney general's office announced.
Oscar Franco, left, and Henry A. Cruz Ventura Franco was sentenced to 10 years in state prison with three years parole ineligibility. He pleaded guilty March 2 to first-degree possession of heroin with intent to distribute; he was caught with 36 kilograms of the drug on Aug. 14, which authorities at the time estimated was worth $2.8 million.
The attorney general's office on Friday estimated that amount of heroin could have sold for more than $10 million once cut, packaged and sold on the street.
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"As a major transporter of heroin, Franco not only was driving addiction in New Jersey, he also was fueling the gun violence that accompanies street-level drug dealing," said Elie Honig, director of the state Division of Criminal Justice, in a news release.
In the other case -- the one state police say was an historic drug bust -- Ventura on Friday pleaded guilty to first-degree possession of heroin with intent to distribute. He was arrested Aug. 23 after state police uncovered 64 kilograms of heroin and 10 kilograms of cocaine worth $6.7 million.
James "Bucky" Agens was named the New Jersey State Police Trooper of the Year for his role in that and a separate drug bust.
Trooper of the Year made historic drug bust
"Thanks to the vigilance of Trooper Agens, this deadly cargo never reached the streets of our communities, and undoubtedly lives were saved that would have been lost to overdoses," Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino said in the news release. "This plea keeps Ventura in prison where he belongs."
Under the plea, the state will recommend Ventura also be sentenced to 10 years in state prison. Sentencing is scheduled for June 23.
Days before the arrests of Ventura and Franco, troopers at the I-78 weigh station booked another California trucker -- Eric T. Shan, 53, of Baldwin Park -- for allegedly transporting more than $300,000 worth of marijuana. Shan was indicted in Warren County last month.
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.