Quantcast

‘Bin Laden’ labeled hits streets of SE Queens

By Betsy Scheinbart

A Hollis woman was arrested and charged with drug possession after police found her with what they alleged were envelopes of heroin stamped with the bright red label “BIN LADEN” and a picture of an airplane heading toward the World Trade Center, the Queens district attorney said last week.

Simone Duzant, 24, of 109-69 205th St. in Hollis and three other women were arrested Feb. 4 after police from the 113th Precinct stopped their car after it made an illegal U-turn and the officers saw a clear plastic bag containing cocaine, District Attorney Richard Brown said last Thursday.

Among the drugs police contend they found in Duzant’s possession were nine glassine envelopes of heroin, which were stamped with the brand name “BIN LADEN” in bright red letters on the front, Brown said. The back of the packets were also stamped in bright red with a picture of the Manhattan skyline depicting an airplane flying toward the World Trade Center, Brown said.

Each of the women faces a maximum of 25 years in prison if convicted, the DA said.

“The drug trade is the subbasement of our society where anything goes and degradation rules,” Brown said. “So I guess it was inevitable that drug dealers would seek to capitalize on our nation’s worst atrocity — the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center — by marking their poison in this manner.”

Police also arrested China May, 21, of 116-40 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. in South Jamaica; Fayola McIntosh, 21, of 102-34 184th St. in Hollis; and Shakeima Suber, 17, of 114-35 Bedell St. in South Jamaica, the DA’s office said.

Duzant was charged with two counts each of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and fourth degrees, Brown said. May, McIntosh and Suber were charged with one count each of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and fourth degrees, the DA said.

All four were charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree and unlawful possession of marijuana, Brown said.

According to the DA’s charges, on Feb. 4, at 11:45 p.m., police observed a car make an illegal u-turn at 205th Street and Hollis Avenue in Hollis, cross over the double line and nearly collide with a parked car, Brown said.

The car sped off westbound down Hollis Avenue and turned right onto 198th Street, Brown said. The police followed, made a car stop and requested that the driver, McIntosh, show them her driver’s license, but she was not able to produce a valid license, the DA said.

At that time, police observed a clear plastic bag containing cocaine on the driver’s seat, Brown said. Police Officer Shannon Pearl of the 113th Precinct then arrested McIntosh and the three passengers, Duzant, May and Suber.

According to the charges, all four women were taken to the 113th Precinct in south Jamaica in a police car, Brown said. When the women got out of the police car, officers observed a bag in the back seat which contained more than an eighth of an ounce of cocaine and two plastic bags that contained marijuana, the DA said.

In addition to the “BIN LADEN” packets, police also recovered from Duzant 20 Zip-Lock bags continuing marijuana and three glassine envelopes marked “Peaches & Cream,” which police allege continued heroin, Brown said.

Reach reporter Betsy Scheinbart by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 138.