The Jersey Lawyer

In an operation code-named “Black Eagle,” the FBI has arrested and charged 26 individuals in New Jersey, Brooklyn and Staten Island alleging participation in an international drug ring. Various news sources report that the men had links to criminal enterprises in Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia and Canada. The FBI also seized an airplane at Lincoln Park Airport in Lincoln Park, New Jersey and is alleging that the airplane was used to transfer drugs, untaxed cigarettes, counterfeit goods, and other contraband throughout the United States and Canada.

The FBI has filed several criminal complaints in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. One complaint was filed against pilots Louis Luyten and Paul Robinson, alleging that the two conspired to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and oxycodone in violation of 21 U.S.C. §846. The FBI alleges that Robinson and Luyten negotiated with undercover informants to deliver ten kilos of cocaine from Florida to New Jersey, and delivered sham cocaine from an airport in Florida to Ocean City Airport in Ocean City, New Jersey. The FBI also alleges that the two pilots agreed to transport an additional 50-100 kilograms of cocaine from New Jersey to Canada.

The FBI filed a second complaint against Alban Tase, Gejsi Siko, and Gentian Naci. The FBI alleges that these three individuals conspired to distribute a substance similar to “ecstasy” in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, conspired to receive, possess, and store contraband in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 2315, and conspired to sell or transport contraband in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 2342. The FBI alleges that Tase, Siko, and Naci purchased 45 cases of contraband cigarettes from an FBI informant in exchange for $23,500 and a quantity of “ecstasy” tablets.

The FBI has also filed a third complaint against Ervis Gjoni and Galitano Gjoni alleging that the two distributed and possessed ecstasy tablets and percocet tablets in violation of 21 U.S.C. 841. The same setup used on other targets of the investigation was used against the Gjoni brothers. Charges have been filed against several other suspects and some suspects have stll not been arrested.  Federal officials claim that the activities of these suspects are related and that the suspects are all part of a loose network.

It is important to remember that all individuals suspected of crimes are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. In addition, the Constitution of the United States affords all criminal defendants a right to counsel. If charged with a crime in New Jersey, contact a New Jersey criminal defense lawyer for assistance in your defense. Legal representation for criminal defendants is aimed at assuring that a suspect’s constitutional and statutory rights are protected. For more information related to recent criminal defense issues in New Jersey, Nace Naumoski has also written articles about prisoner witnesses, anonymous tips, intent requirement for robbery, lie detector test evidence, and the automobile exception to the search warrant requirement.

UPDATE: To read the Jersey Lawyer’s update on this story, click here.