Authorities Arrest 3 Suspects Involved In A Large Scale Heroin Trafficking Ring

ROWAN COUNTY, NC — Officials with federal, state, and local agencies arrested three suspects involved in a large scale heroin trafficking ring Tuesday after a three year long investigation.

Information gathered throughout the investigation led authorities to three Mecklenburg County residents. Gerardo Juarez, 39, Darya Brovskaya, 26, and Hugo Navarrete-Lopez, 27, according to officials, were part of a ring that had been supplying large quantities of heroin to Rowan County for more than 10 years and where also working with the Mexican National Drug Trafficking Organization.

Detectives say they made several large purchases of heroin from two of the suspects during December 2016 and January 2017. Officials say the suspects used fake registration plates and fake names to conceal their identities.

On Tuesday investigators arrested Juarez in the parking lot of a Salisbury Walmart with 52 grams of heroin in his possession. At the same time, Rowan County Sheriff’s deputies, the SBI, Homeland Security, and CMPD executed search warrants at a home in Matthews. Officials say they located nearly 500 grams of heroin, two handguns, a rifle, ammo, multiple telephones, U.S. currency, and various items used in the packaging and distribution of drugs. Documents were also found detailing tens of thousands of dollars worth of drug sales.

Officials say Borovskaya and Navarrete-Lopez were also arrested in Mecklenburg County for their involvement.

Federal officials say they believe Navarrete-Lopez and Juarez may be using aliases and are working to determine their true identities. Investigators say information currently shows that Juarez entered the U.S. around 2005 using a different name.

Borovsykaya has been charged with six counts of Trafficking Heroin and one count of Conspiracy to Traffick Heroin in Rowan County.

Juarez is charged with four counts of Trafficking Heroin and one count of Conspiracy to Traffick Heroin in Rowan County.

Navarrete-Lopez has been charged with Trafficking Heroin in Mecklenburg County.

According to reports, Borovskaya was convicted on January 18th in Mecklenburg County for Felony Possession of Cocaine and sentenced to 24 months of supervised probation. Reports also say that Juarez had previous federal convictions in Texas and a previous cocaine trafficking arrest in Birmingham, Alabama back in 2010. Officials say these charges could lead the pair to also be charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.

All three suspects are currently under a $1,000,000 bond and could face between 18 to 23 years in prison, plus a $500,000 fine.

Officials say the investigation is ongoing and more arrests are expected.