New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
“Detectives assigned to the “Organized Crime Intelligence Bureau” made several arrests on Friday night that have secured 2022 a place in the department’s history as one of the most prolific for drug and cash seizure.
On Friday afternoon, detectives executed a search warrant at 149 Phillips Ave., apt. #2. The target of the investigation was MANNY CARDONA MOLINA, 22. A search warrant had also been secured for his vehicle. As a result, detectives located nearly 200 grams of fentanyl, packaging materials, and $1080 in cash. MOLINA and his girlfriend, Ms. SHEILA GUARDADO, 21, were taken into custody and charged with trafficking in fentanyl in excess of 100 grams, and conspiracy to violate the controlled substance laws.
The arresting officer was Det. Samuel Algarin-Mojica.
New Bedford Police Department photo.
Later in the evening, detectives executed a search warrant at 128 Sycamore St., apt. #2, as well as a vehicle belonging to the targets of the investigation, identified as CARLOS FIGUEROA-PIZARRO, 33, and WILMARIE MARCHAN-PANTOJAS, 31. Detectives located over 600 grams of cocaine, 50 grams of fentanyl, packaging materials, and $3276 in cash. Both were placed under arrest and charged with trafficking cocaine in excess of 100 grams, trafficking fentanyl in excess of 36 grams, and conspiracy to violate the controlled substance laws.
The cash in both cases was seized as a result of it being proceeds from the illicit drug trade.
The arresting officer was Det. Nathaniel Almeida.
In 2022, O.C.I.B. detectives collectively seized over 20 kilos of Fentanyl and 2.5 kilos of cocaine. They have also seized over 1.4 million dollars in cash, making 2022 an extremely memorable year in this unit’s history.
“We can use our digital scales to measure up all the narcotics and count all the money seized. We can give you the number of people arrested and convicted. Those are easy numbers to calculate. What we can’t measure, and what is most important, is the number of lives saved. We have already seen the effects that this epidemic of poison has had on our community. So many lives taken, so many families destroyed. I encourage the public to see these numbers in those terms to have a true appreciation of how valuable proactive police work is to our city.”-Chief Paul Oliveira.
“What our modest unit of hard-working detectives has done this year is remarkable. Their sustained diligence to rid New Bedford of harmful drugs, especially fentanyl, and the people who traffic them is why they are successful. Our federal partners have been a great assistance to us this year as well. I’d also thank the community for their continued tips of information passed along. It is a truly collective effort.”-Lt. Justin Kagan, OCIB commander.
We remind you once more if you have any information on criminal activity in your neighborhood, the New Bedford Police Dept. wants to hear from you. You can leave an anonymous tip on our voicemail at (508) 991-6300 Ext. 1. You can also leave a tip at our website, www.newbedfordpd.com.” -New Bedford Police Department
