"I've been living here for 27 years and I feel like I've been going in circles," said Yvonne Ruiz of 435 72nd Street in North Bergen.
A recent raid elsewhere in the building on Oct. 12 used personnel from both the West New York and North Bergen police departments and led to the nine arrests.
"The way I feel, it's like we're paying for the mistakes of the others," Ruiz said as she waited patiently for North Bergen police officers to escort her back to her home. "It's like we were the ones with the drugs and all. I understand that they're doing their work, but it's ridiculous that we can't get back in. They say that they have to make sure things are right, but it's still ridiculous."
The saga began when West New York police officials received a tip that there were burglaries taking place in the area, with the residents of the North Bergen complex as the main suspects.
The North Bergen police had complaints of drug trafficking taking place out of the complex, so it took a combined effort between the two departments, as well as the Hudson County Sheriff's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Office of Immigration and Naturalized Services, the United States Customs office and the federal Department of Homeland Security.
According to North Bergen Police Chief William Galvin, the West New York police set up an undercover detective at the site, who gained confidence with the drug dealers.
Eight-month investigation
"The investigation was ongoing for about eight months," Galvin said. "When he went in to the apartment building to buy the drugs, he also noticed that they had a series of weapons in there, as well as cameras. It was an elaborate setup."
About five months ago, a resident had his throat slashed in the building as well, so it was a known vicinity of criminal behavior.
"The mayor [Nicholas Sacco] had received numerous calls from the neighbors about the building," Galvin said. "We stalled off doing anything until we had the proper search warrant."
Galvin said that the building was also the site for numerous code violations and that the North Bergen police were aware of those violations.
On Thursday, a combined force of approximately 70 law enforcement officials stormed the building and arrested nine people, six of whom resided in the building, on a litany of drug charges, after police discovered cocaine and crack cocaine in the apartments.
Police arrested residents Tasha Castillas, 32; Maria Correa, 52; Enrique Hecherria, 56; Jose Perez, 42; Jesus Mora, 58; and Michael Van Vorst, 50, for manufacturing and distributing drugs, as well as other drug-related charges.
Also arrested that day were Armando Cruz, 48, of Guttenberg; Ariel Rodriguez, 34; and Raidhy Moya, age not given, who resided at different locations in North Bergen other than the site of the raid.
Mora was charged with operating a narcotics facility and Moya was charged with a host of weapons charges. Both men may also face federal immigration and narcotics violations.
Cocaine and handguns
According to the report supplied by the West New York police, the crack cocaine was packaged for street sale and was recovered in at least three of the apartments in the building. Police also recovered three handguns and an assortment of drug paraphernalia.
After the raid was completed, North Bergen building code officials condemned the building because of the code violations and evacuated the premises.
"There were at least 90 different code violations, many to do with electrical violations," Galvin said. "We relocated everyone Friday night. We brought the North Bergen Recreation buses up and transported some of the residents to the Howard Johnson on Tonnelle Avenue and others went to Jersey City."
The front door of the building was then boarded up and padlocked, as were all first floor windows.
But the evacuated residents were sure that burglars were able to gain entrance to the building through a back door and were allegedly ransacking apartments during the night.
"I know that there were apartments that were broken into," said Ruiz, who waited for five hours Wednesday before she could get escorted into her apartment. "We've been waiting for the building inspectors to come to see the work that has been done, so we have to keep coming in and coming out. I don't know what I might be missing from there. This is ridiculous. It's really like a mission now to get into our own apartments."
Can't get belongings
Martha Hernandez grew up in the building and her mother has been living there for 37 years.
"I feel very betrayed by this," Hernandez said. "One minute we have a home and the next, they're pulling you out. We haven't been allowed to get any of our belongings and this is almost a week. We were told maybe by the end of the week, but you can see it's going to be longer than that. It feels like we're being treated like we're the criminals. We need permission to get back in. I feel it's unfair."
The owner of the building was not immediately identified, but the residents said that he was nowhere to be found.
"He has nothing to do with the building anymore," Hernandez said. "It's very sad."
North Bergen police said the residents would be able to return as soon as possible.
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