Upcoming Weather for July 4th Weekend
June 29, 2022Expect Delays on these Ocean County Roads
June 30, 2022
According to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, a Brick Township man has admitted guilt to narcotics trafficking charges for his participation in a cocaine distribution organization that operated throughout Ocean, Monmouth, and Middlesex counties.
According to prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, 47-year-old Andrew Contaldi admitted to possessing more than 5 ounces of cocaine with the intent to distribute before Superior Court Judge Lisa A. Puglisi. At the sentencing hearing on August 12th, the state would recommend a 10-year prison term, he added.
In October 2021, Contaldi was detained as part of "Operation Checkmate," a four-month cooperative, multi-jurisdictional investigation that, according to Billhimer, involved three investigations and about 50 additional law enforcement personnel who were employed full-time by the prosecutor's Narcotics Strike Force.
The three investigations began in July 2021, and Billhimer stated that "many agencies, both inside and outside of Ocean County, assisted in every phase of the three investigations."
The three cocaine trafficking organizations were in charge of bringing more than 3 kilograms of cocaine into the counties of Ocean, Monmouth, and Middlesex each week. He claimed that "Operation Checkmate" was successful in stopping and destroying illegal controlled hazardous substance distribution operations in these three counties and New York City with advanced surveillance techniques and undercover agents.
On October 26, 2021, 24 people were detained for a variety of offenses related to the distribution of controlled dangerous substances. Additionally, 24 search warrants were carried out, and the results included the discovery of more than four kilograms of cocaine, more than 15 pounds of marijuana, more than $650,000 in cash, seven firearms (three handguns, three "ghost guns," and one pistol grip shotgun), 10 vehicles, and additional illegal narcotics.
In particular, Contaldi was detained on October 26 when officers carried out a search order at his residence, where they found approximately 397 grams of cocaine and $19,500. Since then, he has been detained in the Ocean County Jail.
