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2006 Special Recognition Award

Recipients:

• Lieutenant Mark Kelly
• Detective Sergeants Cesar Huaman
• Glenn Lubertazzi
• Richard Scudder
• Detectives I Pete Ciano
• Richard “Brian” Holmes
• Thomas Ryan
• Detectives II Pete Layng
• Guy Stankiewicz
  Drug Trafficking North Unit, New Jersey State Police

It’s no secret that kilos, if not tons of narcotics, pass through New Jersey destined for cities and small towns all over America. It’s no secret that some of these illegal substances stop right here for Hudson County’s flourishing drug markets. But it is usually a very well kept secret where and when those drugs are moving from major supplier to street level sales forces. New Jersey State Police have undercover units busy at all times gleaning information.

Last November they learned a significant shipment of cocaine was on its way to Jersey City. With little to go on but no time to lose, Kelly and Scudder pursued every trace of a lead and eventually heard about a probable location. Surveillance was begun immediately by Detective Sergeants Lubertazzi and Huaman, along with Detectives Ciano, Holmes, Ryan, Layng, and Stankiewicz.

Monitoring activities at a residence, troopers spotted suspicious activity, gave chase when one man threw a suitcase into his car and took off, captured him and a driver of a decoy car, and then captured four other men, including one who had jumped out a third-floor window, recovering 50 kilograms of cocaine with a street value estimated at $1.25 million. Further investigation showed the shipment had been stolen by the Jersey City guys from their counterparts in a New York-based Dominican Drug Trafficking Organization.

The State Police intelligence network had provided excellent information and the swift and courageous actions of the detectives kept kilos of cocaine off our streets and opened new sources of information about narcotics activities in our area.