Trafficking operation that uses Pokémon art cases to ship in cocaine busted in New Bedford

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WLNE) — A trafficking operation that used Pokémon art cases to ship in cocaine from Puerto Rico was busted in New Bedford, the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office said Thursday.

Two New Bedford men were arrested Tuesday after a United States Postal Service inspector and New Bedford police detectives coordinated a controlled delivery of a package to an apartment on Viall Street.

An undercover postal inspector posing a mail carrier brought the package to the porch. Moments later, 20-year-old Darren Casado Ruiz grabbed it and ran through the backyard to Salisbury Street, where he got into a running red Jeep Renegade.

Police stopped the jeep and detained Ruiz and the driver, 19-year-old Angel Rodriguez.

Authorities got a search warrant and opened the package, finding two yellow plastic Pokémon art cases that were heat sealed with plastic.

Police opened the cases and found two kilograms of cocaine.

Ruiz and Rodriguez were charged with trafficking in excess of 200 grams of cocaine and conspiracy to violate the drug law.

Investigators said five other similar packages have been sent to that apartment from Puerto Rico during the last two months.