4 heroin mills supplying Berks-based ring raided in Reading and the Bronx, officials say

In a press conference last week announcing the dismantling of a drug-trafficking network blamed on overdoses of more than 100 people in September, Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams stressed that the investigation didn’t end with the arrests of 17 people and seizure of about a half-million dollars of heroin, cocaine and fentanyl.

The early morning raids on seven Berks locations on Jan. 19 by about 100 state, federal and local law enforcement officers as part of “Operation SmackDown” brought down the Reading-based operation that led to 101 people being hospitalized.

Among those taken into custody was Aurelio Carrazana-Sanchez, the suspected head of the ring. His home in the 100 block of North Third Street was one of the locations that was raided.

Adams said at the press conference that while the source of the tainted heroin was stamped out, the investigation would continue “until we can stamp out what we believe is the ultimate source.”

On Friday, two days after he delivered those remarks, law enforcement agencies from Pennsylvania and New York served search warrants on several locations that were identified as “heroin mills” — the source of the supply.

Three locations were in the Bronx and the other was in Reading.

Large quantities of heroin/fentanyl and cocaine with an estimated street value of over $4 million were seized along with packaging material and cash believed to be proceeds from drug sales.

As a result of the expanded investigation, three main source suppliers, one from Reading and two from the Bronx, N.Y., were identified, Chief County Detective Michael J. Gombar announced Tuesday.

According to investigators:

Nelfi Castro-Gonzalez, 28, and Robert Melendez-Jimenez , 23, both of the Bronx, were named as the suppliers along with Roberto Mendez-Rodriguez, 48, of Reading.

Castro-Gonzalez was arrested in Bronx and is being detained at Rikers Island Housing Facility to await extradition to Pennsylvania.

Mendez-Rodriguez was arrested in Reading and is being held in Berks County Prison in lieu of $2 million bail set by District Judge Alvin Robinson at his arraignment.

Oly Melendez-Jiminez remains at large.

All three men are charged with possession and intending to deliver heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana along with conspiracy and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity.