Search Of Alleged Bergen Co. Drug Dealer's Home Yields Gun Stolen In 1995: Police

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — Police and a SWAT Team converged on a house in Hackensack last Thursday to arrest a man on drug and weapons charges, police said.

Joseph Ferro, 68, of Hackensack was arrested for drug distribution, police said Friday.

Police said that on Thursday, members of their Crime Suppression Bureau, with the assistance of the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team, executed a search warrant at Ferro's home, which — they noted — is close to Columbus Park.

Investigators found individually packaged heroin for street-level narcotic sales, a digital scale, and other drug paraphernalia. They also found a Winchester Ranger 12-gauge shotgun that was reported stolen to the New York State Police in 1995, a Thompson/Center muzzleloader .50 caliber rifle, and 25 hollow-point shotgun slug rounds, police said.

Ferro was charged with possession with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute within 500 feet of a public park, other drug offenses, weapons offenses, and theft by knowingly receiving stolen property.

He was taken to the Bergen County Correctional and Rehabilitation Center to await his initial appearance at Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, police said.

The Hackensack Police Department encouraged anyone who witnesses a crime or has information about one to reach out to CrimeStoppers of Bergenfield, Englewood, Teaneck, Hackensack, and Bogota, which offers cash rewards. Tips can be made anonymously at www.bergencrimestoppers.org or by calling 844-466-6789, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.