A “major” drug trafficker was arrested after authorities seized a car outside his home that was loaded with more than 85 pounds of cocaine and fentanyl and $420,000 in cash, officials said Tuesday.
George Capella, 45, was arrested on Dec. 4 after an eight-month wiretap investigation that also led federal agents to eight loaded guns in a car that was parked outside his Williamsburg home.
“The recovery of over 85 pounds of cocaine and fentanyl, eight loaded guns and $420,000 in a residential neighborhood of Williamsburg is startling, even to seasoned investigators,” said Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan.
“Money, drugs and paraphernalia seized from the defendant’s cars and home have all the hallmarks of a major drug packaging and distribution operation.”
The kilogram-sized packages were marked with luxury brand names and symbols, including Moet and Louis Vuitton.
Agents armed with search warrants inspected a Honda Accord parked outside Capella’s Leonard St. home and also a Lincoln Aviator that they pulled over when Cappella drove off in it.
Using wiretaps and surveillance, in addition to search warrants, agents and officers recovered roughly 33 kilogram-sized packages of cocaine and more than 6 kilograms of fentanyl, eight loaded firearms and one imitation pistol, officials said.
Three of the guns were found inside a hidden compartment inside the Honda. Agents also seized roughly $420,000 in cash.
Inside the Lincoln, they recovered a scale that appeared to be coated with drug residue and an additional cell phone.
Inside the home, agents found more drugs, along with equipment necessary to package narcotics, including a kilogram press machine, scale and a variety of stamps, officials said.
“Once again, a major drug trafficker has been removed from the streets of New York City,” said Frank Tarentino III, Drug Enforcement Administration special agent in charge. “The seizure of over 33 kilos of cocaine, 6 kilos of fentanyl with a high purity, and the number of weapons seized, shows the threat Mr. Capella posed to the community, as well as the health risk to those he distributed to.”
Officials said the drugs were wrapped in various types of plastic packaging, including packaging bearing an image of the “Star Wars” character “Baby Yoda.”
A small amount of fentanyl had been dyed pink. Laboratory analysis also identified heroin among the drugs seized.
Capella was charged with operating as a major trafficker, criminal possession of a weapon and criminally using drug paraphernalia. He was ordered to be held without bail.
