The Essex County Prosecutor's Office is the hosting component of the Essex Narcotics Task Force. The Task Force was organized in 1987 as a multi-jurisdictional operation, and is responsible for the investigation of middle and upper level narcotics distribution cases. The Task Force approach resulted from the Statewide Action Plan for Narcotics Enforcement of 1987, which set forth a comprehensive approach to attack the drug abuse epidemic. The publication of the Attorney General's 1993 Statewide Narcotics Action Plan recognized that diverse approaches to this crisis were necessary to continue a coordinated, cooperative and comprehensive approach to drug law enforcement. Certain areas of Essex County contain both a relatively large distributor population and a significant user population. The most commonly sold and abused drugs in Essex County continue to be heroin, cocaine (including crack), and marijuana. Within the past decade, drug traffickers in Essex County have resorted more frequently to the use of violence to further their criminal operations. Therefore, the Task Force approach is now targeted at middle and upper level drug traffickers in Essex County, as opposed to short-term investigations aimed at lower level traffickers.

The increased involvement of organized youth gangs in narcotics related activities in Essex County over the past few years has resulted in a high level of interaction between members of the Prosecutor's Gang Intelligence Unit and members of the Narcotics Task Force. As a result of this interaction and in order to efficiently maximize limited resources, former Acting Prosecutor Campolo merged the Gang Intelligence Unit into the Narcotics Task Force in October 2001.

In 2008, as part of the Governor’s Crime Strategy Plan, the Gang Intelligence Unit was merged with the Narcotics Task Force to become the V.I.P.E.R. Unit (Violence Interdiction/Intelligence Prosecution Eradication Recidivism Unit). The new unit, consisting of 18 detectives, three supervisors and operating a daytime and evening shift, will target and prioritize the most violent offender zones; will gather intelligence of confiscated firearms and enter ballistics into the National Integrated Ballistics Identification Network (NIBIN System); will coordinate intelligence led policing strategies in cease fire grid areas with Newark and Irvington law enforcement officials; will conduct warrant roundups of wanted targets of gang violence, narcotics and firearm offenses in high crime ridden areas. In addition, the V.I.P.E.R. Unit will coordinate daily with the Newark and East Orange Police Intelligence Units, the Essex County Corrections Department, neighboring outside police departments, and County Prosecutors’ violent drug and gang task forces.

The V.I.P.E.R. Unit is supported, in large part, by federal grant funds administered by the State of New Jersey. The Unit is staffed, at present time, by County Detectives led by a Captain and two Lieutenants, other state and local law enforcement officers, a Deputy Chief Assistant Prosecutor, three Assistant Prosecutors, and clerical support staff. The Unit is engaged in long term undercover operations targeting upper level drug dealers. In addition, the Unit conducts street level initiatives in Irvington, East Orange and Orange that are geared toward improving quality of life in designated high narcotics crime areas of those municipalities. The Unit also interacts with the DEA, U.S. Customs, U.S. Postal Inspectors and the Port Authority Police in order to interdict drugs being transported through Newark Airport and by means of the mail and private package delivery services.

2008 - 2009 Achievements:

In 2008, the VIPER Unit initiated 142 investigations which culminated in 170 arrests. VIPER Unit investigations resulted in the seizure of over 12 kilograms (more than 26 pounds) of cocaine, more than 1.2 kilograms of heroin and more than 98 pounds of marijuana. VIPER Unit investigations also resulted in the seizure of 1,400 ecstasy pills, a quantity of anabolic steroids and a large quantity of liquid methamphetamine. The approximate street value of the narcotics seized by the VIPER Unit in 2008 is $300,000 for cocaine, $110,000 for heroin and $100,000 for marijuana. VIPER Unit personnel also seized over $113,048 in currency from drug dealers in 2008. VIPER Unit personnel also seized 16 firearms in 2008. This number is significant given the fact the VIPER Unit operates with a relatively small number of personnel. Additionally, given the increase in violent crime in Essex County, removal of illegal firearms from the streets is a very important step forward in the effort by law enforcement to reduce violent crime. The VIPER Unit obtained and executed more than 42 search warrants in 2008.

In 2009, the VIPER Unit initiated 81 investigations and arrested 146 persons. The VIPER unit seized approximately 6,000 grams of heroin and 1,200 grams of cocaine in 2009. VIPER Detectives also seized over 16,000 grams of marijuana, 10 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 60 ounces of PCP and 1,141 MDMA (Ecstasy) tablets. VIPER Detectives also seized 20 firearms and confiscated more than $104,000 in 2009. The VIPER unit executed over 30 search warrants in 2009 and the Assistant Prosecutors assigned to VIPER reviewed more than 600 narcotics and gang related search warrants for Essex County law enforcement agencies in 2009.

The VIPER Unit handled several cases of significance in 2008, including:

OPERATION TRIFECTA - A joint operation with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) targeting document gang members selling narcotics in the central and south wards of Newark. This case resulted in the arrest of 24 individuals and the seizure of more than 650 grams of cocaine and 100 grams of heroin. VIPER Detectives also seized four handguns and over $63,000 in US currency. This initiative continued into 2009.

OPERATION CRIP-KEEPER - This was joint investigation with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in which a number of documented members of the Crips were identified as major cocaine distributors in East Orange and Newark. Several people were arrested and charged federally in this case.

In February, 2008, the VIPER Unit conducted a joint-investigation with the Bloomfield Police Department that resulted in the seizure of over three kilos of cocaine and the arrest of three individuals.

In 2009, the VIPER Unit conducted a number of successful investigations, including:

OPERATION BLOODETTE - This was a joint investigation with the East Orange and Newark Police Departments and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that focused on female gang members selling narcotics, including a highly volatile form of liquid phencyclidine (PCP). The investigation revealed that different sets of female actors were distributing this CDS in Newark, East Orange, Orange and Montclair. The investigation culminated with over 32 arrests and the seizure of first degree weight CDS.

OPERATION MOONSHINE / ORANGE CRUSH - This was an investigation started by the VIPER Unit into cocaine sales by known Blood members in Orange. As the investigation continued, the Orange, East Orange and Newark Police Departments as well as the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office and Essex County Sheriff's Office assisted the VIPER Unit. VIPER personnel obtained court approval for electronic surveillance (wiretaps) and intercepted the communications of several targets. VIPER personnel also used undercover operatives to successfully build a case against these individuals. The investigation concluded with the arrest of 33 individuals, 15 of whom were members of the Bloods. Seven firearms were seized during this case as well as 1,900 envelopes of heroin, 153 grams of cocaine and $13,000 in US currency.

OPERATION RED-BADGE - This was a joint investigation conducted by VIPER personnel, the US DEA, US ATF, Newark Police and Essex County Sheriff's Office targeting CDS sales at Stephen Crane Village, a public housing complex in Newark. Sixteen individuals were arrested and three firearms were seized.

OPERATION CASH FLOW - This was a joint investigation with the ECPO Homicide and Fraud Units, along with the United States Secret Service and the Caldwell Police Department. Court-authorized wiretaps were used to infiltrate a group of individuals who were loaning money to restaurant owners. The "borrowers" were required to pay usurious interest rates and when the victims could not pay, they were forced to participate in fraudulent credit card transactions. The case concluded with 11 arrests and the execution of numerous search warrants.

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