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Cocaine Found Stuffed in Oven at Jackson Heights Home, Cops Say

By Smriti Rao | June 5, 2012 2:19pm
Drug bust in Jackson Heights home on May 14, 2012 reveals more than 18 pounds of cocaine and about $70,000 in cash.
Drug bust in Jackson Heights home on May 14, 2012 reveals more than 18 pounds of cocaine and about $70,000 in cash.
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New York State Police

JACKSON HEIGHTS—That wasn't flour.

A pair of accused drug traffickers used the oven in their Jackson Heights home for more than baking cookies — stashing several pounds of cocaine there along with several other locations on the property, authorities said.

The Special Narcotics Prosecutor's office said that roughly $70,000 in cash were also recovered during the bust on 81st Street, near 30th Avenue.

In addition to the oven, The New York Post said that the cash was stowed neatly in an over-the-door-shoe organizer with shoes in other pockets.

Wilmar Florez-Jimenez, 30, and Alvaro Montoya, 50, were picked up on May 14 and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and using drug paraphernalia in the second degree, authorities said.

Investigators said they felt something fishy was going on at the home, near 30th Avenue when they allegedly saw Montoya haul a large garbage bag out of the building and stash it in a Chevy Envoy SUV at about 1:20 p.m.

When the cops tailed and later searched his car, they found a tire rim in the bag with a portion of the tire attached, authorities said. They said they found cocaine concealed inside the tires, covered with towels.

Later, a search of the Jackson Heights apartment revealed more than 13 pounds of cocaine stashed in a dresser with a false back and hidden compartment, investigators said. More than 4 pounds of cocaine were hidden in the oven, they added.

The suspects also had a wide array of drug packaging equipment scattered around the apartment, including substances used to dilute the cocaine, a digital scale, baggies, knives and razors, authorities said.

They added that another search later of the Chevy found another half a pound of cocaine underneath the rear seat.

Florez-Jimenez lived in the Jackson Heights apartment while Montoya is from Elizabeth, NJ, authorities said.