Alleged illegal immigrant in Hillsborough arrested on cocaine charge

February 24, 2011

A township man who allegedly re-entered the country illegally faces charges after investigators found him carrying $400 worth of cocaine, authorities said.

Miguel Ortiz Perez, 39, of Brookside Lane, is charged with third-degree possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia, Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey D. Soriano said.

County investigators around 9:50 p.m. Wednesday learned that a man was in possession of cocaine near Farm Road in Hillsborough, Soriano said in a news release.

The detectives, who responded with Hillsborough police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, saw Perez walking in the area and approached him for questioning.

Perez was arrested after voluntarily turning over a bag of cocaine, Soriano said. Investigators soon found that he had an outstanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement warrant for illegal re-entry.

The estimated street value of the seized cocaine is about $400, the prosecutor said.

Perez was taken to the Somerset County Jail and detained for the immigration warrant. Soriano said bail had not been set as of Thursday afternoon.

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