Like a scene from the movie “French Connection”, Westchester County Police pried out 210 small glassine envelopes of heroin, with a street value of more than $2,000, hidden under a carpeted area near the center console of a 2001 Mitsubishi Galant that had been impounded following a routine traffic stop on the Hutchinson River Parkway in New Rochelle. Christopher Ruggiero, 27, a passenger in the vehicle, was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd Degree (Intent to Sell)
At 10:03 p.m. last night Police Officer Steven Stromberg was on patrol on the northbound Hutchinson River Parkway near Webster Avenue when he stopped the vehicle after observing a traffic violation. The driver of the vehicle did not have a valid license, nor did his passenger, and so the vehicle was impounded.
Upon impound of the vehicle, Stromberg observed that an area inside the vehicle had been tampered with and subsequently located a clear plastic bag containing numerous small bags of heroin. Ruggiero told the officer that the bag belonged to him. An additional four small bags of heroin were recovered from Ruggerio’s shoe when he was being booked at county police headquarters in Hawthorne. In total, Ruggiero was found to be in possession of 214 small glassine envelopes of heroin.
The driver, who was not arrested, was issued two summonses – one for an equipment violation and another for driving without a license.
Ruggerio, a resident of Waterbury, CT, is awaiting arraignment today in New Rochelle City Court.
BELOW: The famous “rocker panel” scene from the French Connection (Hulu.com):