Guns, Drugs, and Squatters: New York’s Alarming Underground Scene Exposed

A recent police raid in the Norwood section of the Bronx unveiled an unsettling scene. Close to midnight last Wednesday, officers from the NYPD responded to a call reporting a man brandishing a firearm at a residence on Hull Avenue. Upon their arrival, they sighted an armed suspect making a hasty retreat downstairs.

The ensuing pursuit of the suspect led the officers to a chaotic scene in the basement of the building. There, they found eight adults and a young child, aged seven, gathered in a room. Reportedly, the officers also discovered at least two more loaded weapons, a “ghost gun”, ammunition, and a bag containing a mix of ketamine and cocaine.

“The following suspects, all of whom are believed to be foreign nationals, were arrested: Javier Alborno of Venezuela, 22; Johan Cardenas Silva, 35; Hector Desousa-Villalta of Venezuela, 24; Yerbin Lozado-Munoz, 25; Yojairo Martinez, 42; Jefferson Orlando Abreau, 39; Yoessy Pino Castillo, a 20-year-old female; and Miguel Vaamondes-Barrios, 31.”

Each individual is facing charges of criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and acting in a manner injurious to a child.

According to locals, the group has been causing issues in the neighborhood for quite some time. Alfred Munoz reports, “They’re squatters and the owner has been trying to get them out of the apartment for the longest period of time. They came, they were a disruptive force mainly because there were a lot of them. You didn’t know who was staying, not staying there, and the owner of the building had a hell of a time trying to get them out.”

Many of the arrested individuals have prior encounters with law enforcement. Some are suspected to be involved in a series of robberies in Bergen County, New Jersey, although charges have yet to be levied. Vaamondes-Barrios is also accused of retail theft in Pennsylvania and New York. He was formerly held on a $25,000 bail for one of these cases, which may lead to him being extradited.

Javier Alborno, who allegedly tried to escape the Bronx apartment with a firearm when police arrived, was previously detained in September for supposedly carrying a loaded firearm. Despite the prosecutor’s request for a $10,000 bond, Alborno was released by the presiding judge.

In what appears to be a violent outcome of an argument over a woman in Yonkers, Hector Desousa-Villalta allegedly shot another illegal immigrant in the leg last August. Desousa was later charged with attempted murder, however, the victim reportedly refused to cooperate in the investigation.

“Desousa and Alborno now both remain in custody in connection with the most recent charges, but the others apprehended during the Bronx raid were released without bail,” stated NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell. He also confirmed that the cases against Desousa and Alborno are still “open”.

Watch a local news report about the incident below:

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