FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MAJOR DRUG SEIZURE BY BREWER POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FEDERAL DEA
September 17, 2007

On the evening of September 17, 2007, the brewer Police Department, Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested JUSTINO SOTO ( age 46 of Florida) and ROBERTO RODRIGUEZ (age 22 of Rhode Island) in Brewer, Maine after seizing 2,196 grams of powder cocaine. The cocaine had an estimated street value of between $200,000.00 and $225,000.00. This seizure will seriously impact the availability of cocaine in the area.

The seizure culminates a 12 month investigation conducted by these agencies into members of organization trafficking cocaine from Florida and Rhode Island to the greater Bangor, Maine area. DEA anticipates additional arrests in Central Maine. The cocaine was recovered from a vehicle driven by ROBERTO RODRIGUEZ from Rhode Island. The Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Maine State Police assisted in the investigation. Immigration and Customs enforcement are investigating possible immigration violations by these individuals.

SOTO and RODRIGUEZ are being held in the custody of the U.S. Marshall’s Service pending a hearing in U.S. District Court.