A truck driver that hauled more than $10 million in heroin in New Jersey has been sentenced to 10 years in a state prison. Oscar Franco, 59, was arrested after being stopped by state police in August 2016. The state troopers wanted to perform a routine commercial inspection of the vehicle and instead found 36 kilograms of heroin in his tractor-trailer. Tipping the state officer off was Franco’s logbook that had reported unexplained detours as well as significant irregularities. During the truck inspection, the trooper found two duffel bags containing the heroin, which police said had a street value of $2.8 million. According to New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino, the heroin had a street value of more than $10 million. Franco pleaded guilty to the first-degree possession of heroin with intent to distribute on March 2. His 10-year prison sentence includes three years without parole. According to police, semi-trucks are used to transport drugs to New York. Truckers deliver the drugs to a drug house locations, where they are paid cash. The drugs are then packaged and sold to the street. Another arrest along the same stretch of highway was made by police after finding 64 kilograms of heroin and 10 kilograms of cocaine in Henry Cruz Ventura’s, 40, truck. The drugs were located in four boxes in the truck, which officials found failed to match the shipping manifest of the driver. Ventura pleaded guilty to possessing heroin with the intent to distribute. If convicted, Ventura will face a 10-year state prison term. He will be sentenced on June 23. Ventura’s drug bust marks the largest cold stop heroin seizure made on in the U.S. The estimated value of the drugs was $6.7 million before it was packaged for street use. If you are facing criminal charges, don’t hesitate to call Davis Law Firm, LLC. Our defense aggressive attorneys are experienced in handling a variety criminal offenses in Mercer County, Atlantic County, Cumberland County, or anywhere else in South Jersey and can help you fight your charges. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
