Norwalk police have uncovered a drug factory in a rented Rowyaton Woods condomium room where they seized more than 670 bags of packaged heroin and another 49 grams of the drug.
The 49.1 grams of heroin powder, when processed with cutting agents, has the capability of filling more than 3,000 individual bags for street sale, police said. Also found were more than 7,000 empty bags ready to be bagged with the drug, an electronic scale, multiple ounces of cutting agents, an electronic blender for processing heroin and cutting agents, hundreds of rubber bands and an ink stamp for marking the heroin, named “REVENGE.”
Officers also said the owner of the condominium never knew the room she rented was being used a stash place for one of the biggest drug operations in Norwalk.
Lt. James Walsh, of the Special Services Division, said the girlfriend of a man who was arrested earlier this month for heroin distribution, was taken into custody and busted on multiple drug charges. They say she was continuing the drug operation while her boyfriend was behind bars.
Police said Saturday that the woman arrested - Hilary Guillen, 21 of 6 Leuvine St. - is the girlfriend of Sylvester Edwards, who was arrested on April 6. Edwards and an associate, Michael Ross, were arrested when a search warrant was executed at 6 Leuvine St. During that search, 496 bags were located, along with a large amount of unpackaged heroin.
Guillen was not home on Leuvine Street when the warrant was executed last week.
The Leuine Street address is about four miles from the Rowyaton Woods condominium.
“This operation was a lot more sophisticated than we had originally thought,” said Walsh. “They had rented a room from an unknowing landlord and changed the locks and were running a heroin packaging and processing operation there.”
This investigation stemmed from a joint operation between the State Police Statewide Narcotics Taskforce southwest office and the Norwalk Police Department Special Services Division. It follows a new crackdown that federal prosecutors announced this week to bust heroin dealers in Connecticut in what lawmakers have characterized as an “epidemic” of heroin and opioid abuse and overdoses.
The secret stash location
Walsh said “information had been gleaned that this stash location was the spot where the majority of the narcotics were stored and were packaged for distribution. With limited information, hours of surveillance was conducted on Guillen over the past several days to identify the location of the stash house. At approximately 2:15 p.m. Thursday, investigators followed Guillen to a location inside the Rowayton Woods Condominium complex. Guillen entered the location and left shortly thereafter.”
Guillen was later stopped on Flax Hill Road for numerous motor vehicle violations, including talking on a cell phone and having tinted windows on her vehicle.
During the traffic stop, a police service dog was brought to the scene. “The dog had a positive indication for narcotics being inside the car, a further search of the car by the K9 indicated a strong positive indication on the driver seat,” Walsh said. “A female officer was brought to the scene and a search was conducted on Guillen. A plastic bag found in Guillen" pants containing six bundles of heroin (60 bags) was located. A bundle is 10 bags of heroin banded together for easier distribution.”
Police said all the bags containing heroin were stamped "REVENGE."
Guillen was transported back to police headquarters where she was charged with possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics within 1,500 feet of a school, possession of narcotics with intent to sell, possession of narcotics with intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a school, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of drug paraphernalia within 1,500 feet of a school, operating a drug factory, operation of a motor vehicle while using a hand-held telephone or mobile electronic device, operating a motor vehicle without a license, failure to wear seatbelt and failure to have a tinted window sticker.
She is being held on $250,000 bond and will appear in Norwalk Superior Court on April 29.
Police: Condo owner didn’t know
Police said they interviewed the owner of the unit that Guillen was seen entering and leaving at the Rowayton Woods condos.
“The occupant, who was the owner of the condominium, stated she had rented a room to Hilary Guillen in December 2015,” Walsh said. “The owner further stated that Edwards (Guillen’s boyfriend) was a frequent visitor to the rented area of her house.”
Police then secured the residence and applied for a warrant to search the rented condo. “Upon execution of the search warrant, officers discovered a full heroin drug factory in the rented room, which had been kept, locked from the owner,” Walsh said.
“Evidence was also located inside the room that both Edwards and Guillen had dominion and control over the premises and were operating a drug factory to facilitate their heroin distribution in the city of Norwalk.”
Investigators will be pursuing charges against Edwards as a result of the heroin found in the stash house.
At this time, investigators believe that the homeowner was not aware of the activities being conducted by Edwards and Guillen.
Crackdown to contuinue
Last Tuesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Drug Enforcement Administration announced two new cash injections for investigation and enforcement. Department of Justice officials said they will focus on drug dealers “who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.”
Prosecutors said they had developed a protocol calling for local police to fast-track fatal overdose investigations an preserve evidence from them, as well as loop in DEA agents.
“The police protocol will allow investigators to preserve evidence critical to identifying and convicting those responsible for distributing these drugs,” Deirdre Daly, the state’s top prosecutor, wrote in the announcement. “Our aim is to prevent additional deaths and to hold accountable those who distribute these deadly drugs.”
