Alleged Drug Bust in Stapleton Leads to Arrests of Four Individuals

Four individuals were arrested in a dramatic dawn raid in Stapleton, Staten Island, where officers uncovered a scene straight out of a crime drama. The apartment in the 100 block of Broad Street was filled with drugs and drug paraphernalia, including a plate of cocaine near a chessboard, an Ecstasy pill marked with a luxury Mercedes-Benz Maybach stamp, and 100 empty plastic-zipper bags commonly used in the drug trade.

The suspects, Ana Oquendo, Arcadia Velez, Carmine Quinteros, and Saalih Mustafa, were all present in the apartment during the raid. Oquendo was found in the living room, Quinteros in the kitchen, and Velez and Mustafa in the bedroom. The criminal complaint detailed the extensive amount of drugs and drug-related items found in the apartment, including cocaine, Ecstasy, heroin, and various drug paraphernalia.

This wasn’t the first time these individuals were involved in such activities. The criminal complaint also mentioned a previous raid in May where Quinteros and Oquendo were present in another apartment filled with drugs and drug paraphernalia.

All four suspects have pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and criminal use of drug paraphernalia. Oquendo, Velez, Quinteros, and Mustafa have been released on varying bail amounts and are scheduled to appear in Criminal Court on different dates.

Attorneys for the defendants have not yet commented on the case. The details of this raid paint a vivid picture of the drug trade in Staten Island, showcasing the lengths some individuals will go to for profit.