Pair held after $1M cocaine bust in Lynn

LYNN – A judge ordered two New York men held on $250,000 bail each after state police pulled the men over for speeding and reported finding cans of kidney beans containing $1 million worth of suspected cocaine.”They traveled through multiple states and attempted to do that here, but were caught with 7,200 grams of cocaine with a $1 million street value,” Assistant District Attorney Mark Byron said Tuesday in Lynn District Court.Elvis Rodriguez, 55, was arrested and charged with trafficking in cocaine and conspiracy to violate drug laws; on Monday.Swinton Acosta, 35, was arrested and charged with trafficking in cocaine; conspiracy to violate drug laws; speeding; and unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle; on Monday.They were each arraigned on the charges in Lynn District Court Tuesday and not guilty pleas were entered on each defendant’s behalf.Byron told the court State Police were monitoring traffic on Western Avenue Monday evening when they clocked a vehicle traveling 44 mph in a 30-mph zone. Troopers stopped the vehicle and learned Acosta was driving with a suspended license, Byron said.Troopers reported they asked Acosta if the passenger, Rodriguez, could drive, and Acosta allegedly said he didn’t know the passenger’s name. Byron told the court Rodriguez told troopers he could not drive, and was “inconsistent and evasive” when asked simple questions.During an inventory of the vehicle to prepare it for towing, troopers found a hidden compartment in the car and a K-9 unit indicated the presence of illegal drugs, Byron reported.Inside the compartment, troopers reported finding 18 cans of kidney beans. Byron reported that each of the cans contained a large block of suspected cocaine, weighing a total of 7,200 grams and which state police estimated to be worth $250,000 wholesale and $1 million on the street.Byron requested $1 million bail for each defendant, noting that each gave police a New York address as well as their connection to “a large, large amount of drugs.”Defense attorney Mark Schmidt said Rodriguez had no idea about the alleged drugs.”Whatever the quantity of drugs, he’s a passenger in somebody else’s car when somebody else is driving,” Schmidt said. “There are no facts that tend to substantiate … that (Rodriguez) knew there were drugs there.”He also questioned how police could have gotten into the compartment in the car without a warrant. “I’m not sure the inventory procedure allows that,” Schmidt said.Schmidt requested $1,000 cash bail. He said Rodriguez’ criminal record included misdemeanor drug charges but the most serious entry appeared to be for jumping a subway turnstile.Attorney Eric Jarosz said Acosta reported he was not aware of any hidden compartment, as he had just purchased the car. Moreover, Jarosz said his client was just driving Rodriguez to a wake.Jarosz also requested $1,000 bail for the charges, noting Acosta had no criminal record at all and worked for the New York Board of Education as a school aide.Judge Mary McCabe ordered each defendant held on $250,000 cash bail and scheduled them to return to court on Oct. 22.