NEARLY 20,000 DOSES OF HEROIN RECOVERED AFTER POLICE CHASE IN SYRACUSE

On Thursday, June 22nd, around 12:50 p.m., Officer Eiffe and numerous Special Investigation Division Detectives were conducting a detail designed to target illegal narcotics activity when they received a report of an individual who may be in possession of illegal narcotics, along with a handgun.

Detectives observed the suspect, 40-year-old Raymond Rivera, outside of his vehicle on Fabius Street. Rivera got in his vehicle, and Officers followed before initiating a traffic stop as the vehicle turned onto Shonnard Street. Initially, Rivera stopped his vehicle, but once Officers exited their patrol vehicle, Rivera sped off and attempted to flee.

Rivera led Officers on a chase throughout the City for 11 minutes, losing two of his tires as he continued to drive recklessly, disregarding stop signs and traffic signals in and out of school zones. Eventually, Rivera's vehicle broke down in the 700 block of Otisco Street. After an arrest team stepped in, Rivera was taken into custody.

When Officers searched Rivera's vehicle, they found three cellphones, a 9mm magazine, loaded with three bullets, and a blue and yellow Nautica duffle bag, which contained approximately 19,250 individual doses of heroin packaged in sections of 50, commonly referred to as a brick. Each section was wrapped in white or blue paper. Officers also found 4.1 grams of cocaine in a clear, knotted plastic baggie, and $828 dollars in cash.

​Rivera is charged with one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Sell in the Third Degree, one count of Criminal Possession of Narcotics in the Fourth Degree, two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree, one count of Resisting Arrest, one count of Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree and one count of Fleeing an Officer in a Motor Vehicle in the Third Degree. Rivera was taken to hospital after complaining of chest pain before being lodged in the Onondaga County Justice Center.

We would like to thank our Officers and Detectives who helped to bring this dangerous chase to a safe conclusion. They were able to arrest the suspect, and save dozens of lives by getting a mass amount of illegal drugs off of the streets of Syracuse.

sources: Syracuse Police