Teaneck Detectives Capture Alleged Drug Trafficker

Teaneck police captured a 42-year-old man wanted for his role in a large-scale Pennsylvania drug trafficking ring that spanned six states and had links to Mexico, authorities said Friday.

Based on a request from Pennsylvania authorities, township detectives were watching a residence on East Maple Street Thursday and arrested Eric Feliz when he drove up about three hours into the surveillance operation, Teaneck Detective Lt. Andrew McGurr said. Records show Feliz is a Pennsylvania resident, but police said he has family in Teaneck and splits his time between states.

Feliz, who also goes by "DJ Smokeout," "Smily" and "Eddie," was one of 25 people accused in a syndicate that sold cocaine, marijuana and heroin throughout Berks County, Pa., prosecutors charged.

Investigators used court-approved wiretaps to identify more than two-dozen members of the mostly Reading, Pa-based ring and made undercover drug buys in Pennsylvania, according to the Berks County District Attorney's Office.

Using search warrants, authorities in Berks County said they seized three handguns, a sawed-off shotgun, drug paraphernalia, three kilograms of cocaine with a $300,000 street value, 250 grams of heroin valued at $75,000, a vehicle with hidden compartments and more than $50,000 in cash.

“The success of dismantling this drug trafficking operation could only have been accomplished with the cooperative combined teamwork of local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies," Berks County District Attorney John Adams said in a statement.

Feliz, along with the other alleged traffickers, face charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, marijuana and heroin, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, corrupt organizations and criminal use of a communication facility, prosecutors said. Feliz was being held in Bergen County awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania.

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