⏱ 2 min read
Jose Orjuela, aka ‘Hov’, a 37-year-old Norwalk resident, was the leader of a large-scale drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in the Norwalk area. In May 2023, the DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Norwalk Police Department launched an investigation, which included wiretaps and controlled purchases, revealing Orjuela’s operation. The organization transported kilogram-quantities of narcotics from Texas, Ohio, and New York City, storing and distributing them in Norwalk through a network of associates.
Orjuela, along with his co-conspirators, was arrested on April 29, 2024. During the arrest, investigators seized approximately 15,000 dose bags of suspected fentanyl, 350 grams of raw heroin, and quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine. Orjuela was caught attempting to flush several hundred grams of fentanyl down a toilet and had a loaded 9mm pistol in his vehicle.
On April 30, 2025, Orjuela pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of narcotics. He has been detained since his arrest and was recently sentenced to 188 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
The investigation and sentencing of Orjuela demonstrate the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat the opioid epidemic and drug trafficking in Connecticut. The DEA and local authorities continue to work together to dismantle large-scale drug trafficking organizations and bring perpetrators to justice.
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- Rasheen Newkirk, Heroin and Cocaine Conspiracy, New York 2024 · Michigan
- Raul Chavez, Cocaine Trafficking, Connecticut 2014 · Texas
- Cesar Vasquez, Gun & Narcotics Trafficking, New York 2022 · Texas
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: Connecticut
- Location: CT
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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