Woonsocket Man Charged In Alleged Large Scale Heroin Trafficking Operation
DEA Drug Task Force Agents Seize More Than Seven Kilos of Heroin, $30,000 Cash in R.I.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A Woonsocket, R.I. man was ordered detained Tuesday after making an initial appearance in federal court in Providence charged with possession of more than a kilogram of heroin and 500 grams or more of cocaine with the intent to distribute. Andres Jiminez, 37, was arrested Sunday after Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Rhode Island State Police; and Pawtucket, Woonsocket and East Providence police departments seized more than seven kilos of heroin, more than a kilo of cocaine and $30,000 in cash from a Pawtucket commercial storage facility he rented.
The arrest and initial appearance of Andres Jiminez was announced by Steven W. Derr, Special Agent in Charge of the New England field division of the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha.
According to documents on file in the U.S. District Court in Providence, the target of an investigation into an alleged large scale heroin trafficking operation in the New Haven, Conn., area had become concerned that law enforcement may be monitoring his activities and was moving the alleged operation to Rhode Island. The target was monitored as he drove to Rhode Island early Friday morning where he was then followed by Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force agents to a commercial storage facility in Pawtucket. Records indicate the storage unit is rented by Andres Jiminez.
While DEA agents continued to monitor the storage facility, agents also followed the Connecticut target and another man as they drove to Chelsea, Mass., and then to Connecticut, making several stops along the way. Their vehicle was stopped in Union, Conn., by Connecticut State Police. The men were arrested after troopers discovered approximately one kilo of heroin in the vehicle.
On Friday night, Rhode Island DEA Task Force agents executed a search warrant at the Pawtucket storage facility where they seized more than 7 kilograms of heroin; a kilogram of cocaine; $30,000 in cash; an industrial money counting machine; and numerous items used in drug trafficking. On Saturday night, DEA Task Force agents executed a search warrant at Jiminez’s Woonsocket residence. He was located by Task Force agents and arrested Sunday as he attempted to check into a hotel near T.F.Green Airport.
