Drug Bust: 20 Pounds of Cocaine Found in Cigar Boxes

Two Men Indicted for Narcotics Possession

Cocaine Recovered from Cigar Boxes

A Brooklyn man was arraigned this on Sept. 5 in Manhattan Supreme Court on charges stemming from the seizure of more than nine kilograms (approximately 20 pounds) of cocaine hidden inside 45 cigar boxes with false bottoms. The cocaine carried an estimated street value of up to $300,000. The packages of cocaine concealed in cigar boxes were allegedly recovered during a court-authorized search of the residence of Jose LEONARDO in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn in April of 2025.

An indictment filed by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor (SNP) for the City of New York charges LEONARDO with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First, Third and Fifth Degrees. A second defendant, Yenky GIL, was arraigned on a related indictment on May 5, 2025. He is charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second and Third Degrees.

Bridget G. Brennan, New York City’s Special Narcotics Prosecutor, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New York Division (NY), and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced the charges following this morning’s arraignment before Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Beth Beller, Part 77. The investigation was conducted by the DEA New York Division, Group D-43, with assistance from SNP’s Investigators Unit.

Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan said, “Large shipments of narcotics are often creatively concealed — in this case cocaine was hidden underneath real cigars. Drug shipments such as this are typically transported to a location where they can be repackaged into smaller amounts and distributed to multiple locations. Considerable effort went into shielding the cocaine from detection and preventing the loss of profits that result from law enforcement seizures. This trafficking organization was no match for the diligent investigative work and effective collaboration demonstrated in this case.”

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said, “The seizure of this massive quantity of cocaine makes Brooklyn safer and delivers a heavy blow to the drug trafficking networks that poison our streets. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the NYPD, the Special Narcotics Prosecutor, the DEA, the New York State Police, and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, these defendants will now face justice for their alleged crimes. This operation demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting our communities and dismantling the infrastructure of illegal drug distribution.”

DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino said, “This operation, which removed more than 9 kilos of cocaine hidden in the false bottoms of cigar boxes, underscores the investigative expertise that our special agents and law enforcement partners have in dismantling the schemes of treacherous drug traffickers. The DEA remains firmly committed to ensuring the poison they push never reaches our streets and that justice is delivered.”    

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “This case speaks to the incredible interagency coordination and cooperation it takes to get dangerous drugs off our streets. These substances perpetuate a cycle of addiction and criminal behavior which in turn threatens the safety and security of our neighborhoods. Thanks to the hard work of law enforcement at the state, federal and local level, two subjects who had no regard for the negative impact their actions had on the community have been indicted for possessing cocaine”

LEONARDO was arrested on April 16, 2025, following a months-long investigation into interstate narcotics trafficking. On that day, agents and investigators tracked LEONARDO as he allegedly drove a blue Nissan Rogue from his residence at 33 Crosby Avenue in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn to New Jersey. After making a brief stop, LEONARDO returned to Brooklyn.

At approximately 9:30 a.m. on April 16, agents observed the Nissan in the driveway of 33 Crosby Avenue. LEONARDO exited the driver’s seat and walked to the trunk. He allegedly removed a large box, which he carried to the rear of the residence. Agents observed the box on the floor inside the back door of 33 Crosby Avenue and froze the location while they sought to obtain a search warrant.

Later that day, agents conducted a court-authorized search of 33 Crosby Avenue and the Nissan and recovered a total of three cardboard boxes, including the box that agents allegedly saw LEONARDO carrying, a second box found inside the residence, and a box that remained inside the trunk of the Nissan. 

Agents and investigators opened the three cardboard boxes and saw they contained a total of 45 wooden cigar boxes, each of which held cigars. Only by prying the wooden paneling off the underside of the boxes did agents discover false bottoms that concealed thin bricks of cocaine. Similarly sized thin bricks of ketamine were also recovered from LEONARDO’s bedroom.

DEA laboratory analysis on the drugs seized on April 16 identified a total of nine kilograms of cocaine and nearly one kilogram of ketamine.

The second indicted defendant, GIL, was arrested one month earlier on March 18, 2025, after allegedly meeting with LEONARDO at 33 Crosby Avenue. Agents and investigators followed GIL to the vicinity of 461 East 136^th Street in Manhattan, where they stopped him. Agents allegedly recovered a thin brick of cocaine that was similar in size and appearance to the bricks found in the cigar boxes in April.

LEONARDO was released on bail set at $100,000 cash/$100,000 bond with court-ordered electronic monitoring in June. GIL has been in custody since March, with bail set at $50,000 cash/$100,000 bond.

Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan thanked Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, and commended SNP’s Special Investigations Bureau and Investigators Unit, DEA New York Division, the New York State Police, and the New York City Police Department for their work on the investigation.

Indicted Defendants	Charges
Jose LeonardoBrooklyn, N.Y.Age: 30	CPCS 1st – 1 ctCPCS 3rd – 2 ctsCPCS 5th – 1 ct
Yenky GilBronx, N.Y.Age: 36	CPCS 2nd – 1 ctCPCS 3rd – 1 ct

The charges and allegations are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.