In a significant bust, authorities announced the arrest of a man linked to a large drug trafficking operation in Brooklyn. George Capella, 45, was taken into custody following an extensive investigation that led to the seizure of more than 85 pounds of cocaine and fentanyl, eight loaded firearms, and approximately $420,000 in cash.
Capella was arrested on December 4 after an eight-month wiretap operation known as “Operation Interstate Powder.” He has been charged with multiple offenses, including operating as a major trafficker, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and criminal possession of a weapon.
The investigation included surveillance at Capella’s residence on Leonard Street in Williamsburg. On the day of his arrest, he was seen retrieving two packages resembling kilograms of narcotics from a black Honda Accord parked outside his building. Shortly after, he left the residence in a Lincoln Aviator with New Jersey plates.
Law enforcement officials stopped the Lincoln near 80 Meserole Street, detained Capella, and seized seven cellphones from him. Following this, they executed court-authorized search warrants on both vehicles and his residence.
During the searches, authorities discovered approximately 33 kilogram-sized packages of cocaine and over six kilograms of fentanyl hidden within the Honda. The drugs were found alongside eight loaded firearms in a concealed compartment, as well as an imitation pistol. The total cash seized amounted to approximately $420,000.
The Lincoln also contained a scale with drug residue and another cellphone. In Capella’s residence, investigators found additional drugs, packaging equipment, and a kilogram press machine.
According to DEA laboratory analysis, the cocaine packages included some labeled “MOËT” and “AMIRI,” while the fentanyl packages were marked with Louis Vuitton symbols. Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan expressed concern over the scale of the operation, stating, “The recovery of over 85 pounds of cocaine and fentanyl, eight loaded guns, and $420,000 in a residential neighborhood of Williamsburg is startling, even to seasoned investigators.”
Brennan commended the efforts of the prosecutors and investigators involved, highlighting that their determination and hard work in tracking this drug distribution network undoubtedly saved many lives.
