MAMAKATING, NY – Eddie Ruiz, 47, of New York, NY, is facing a lifetime behind bars after a traffic stop in Sullivan County revealed a sophisticated drug smuggling operation. Authorities discovered a staggering 15 kilograms of cocaine stashed within a hidden compartment expertly built into the trunk of his vehicle.
The bust went down on August 29, 2025, after a New York State Trooper pulled Ruiz over for unspecified traffic violations near Mamakating. Suspicious behavior prompted the trooper to deploy a drug-sniffing canine, which immediately alerted to the presence of narcotics. A subsequent search uncovered the “trap” – a concealed compartment in the vehicle’s trunk – partially revealing what officers quickly identified as tightly wrapped bricks of cocaine.
“As alleged, Eddie Ruiz was transporting over 15 kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment in his specially modified vehicle,” stated U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Drug trafficking involves a vast, sophisticated, international network full of players who are motivated by profit and have no regard for the lives they ruin. New Yorkers want that network broken and the players taken off the streets.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia added, “Ruiz’s alleged intentions to introduce addictive narcotics to our neighborhoods greatly jeopardizes the health and wellbeing of those residents. During Operation Summer Heat, the FBI will continue to apprehend and interrupt any criminal who seeks to supply lethal substances to our communities.” The cocaine was packaged in fifteen one-kilogram rectangular packages, consistent with distribution-level quantities, and field tests confirmed the substance was, in fact, cocaine.
Ruiz has been charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, with the potential for a life sentence. U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker presided over his initial court appearance on August 30, 2025. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmi Schickler of the White Plains Division.
Clayton lauded the collaborative effort of the FBI, New York State Police Troop F and K Community Stabilization Units, highlighting the importance of interagency cooperation in dismantling drug trafficking networks. The charges are merely allegations at this point, and Ruiz is presumed innocent until proven guilty. This investigation remains ongoing, with authorities hinting at potential connections to a larger criminal enterprise.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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