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Four Asbury Park residents were among 14 people arrested early Thursday morning in a coordinated takedown by federal and local law enforcement authorities in connection with their alleged involvement in a large-scale drug trafficking organization responsible for the distribution of heroin and cocaine throughout Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties, law enforcement officials announced at a press conference Thursday.

City residents Harriel Jean-Baptiste, a/k/a “Harry,” 25, Charlene Braitwaithe-Lovet, a/k/a “Shay,” 40, Athena L. Gillia, a/k/a “Shorty,” 28, and Schneider Monestime, 32, were named in criminal complaints filed today in Trenton federal court that charge them with one count of conspiracy to distribute narcotics.

The complaint alleges the individuals conspired to sell illegal drugs, mainly heroin, in a drug trafficking organization called the “Cadet DTO” purportedly led by Herve Cadet, a/k/a “Gotti,” a/k/a “Bro,” 29, of Neptune and Sayreville; and Eric Smith, a/k/a “Ev,” a/k/a “E,” 42, of Manchester.

Seven of the complainants remain at large, including three additional Asbury Park residents. They are Dwight Simon, a/k/a “Break Bread,” 30, Noble El-Bey, a/k/a “T,” a/k/a “Terry,” 42, and Steve Jean-Baptiste, a/k/a “Black,” 29.

Also was arrested on a separate complaint today were Joel Mendez, a/k/a “Joey Mendez,” a/k/a “Crack,” 34, of Bradley Beach, New Jersey, and Alfred Lyons III, a/k/a “Alfie,” 33, of Neptune. They were each charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin. Mendez remains at large.

From November 2013 through the present day, local and state law enforcement officials used authorized wire taps, confidential informants, surveillance, and made undercover purchases of illegal drugs in their investigation of the organization, officials said.

Cadet and Smith are allegedly responsible for the identification and supply of heroin sources, and the oversight of distributors and other conspirators who sold, packaged and stored the drugs. The organization reportedly sold prepackaged bundles of heroin which contained approximately one-fifth of a gram, and “bricks,” which contained approximately one gram.

New Jersey U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman estimated the group sold a few thousand bricks of heroin a month and grossed approximately six figures per month, he said at the Thursday conference.

Sales were prominent in Asbury Park and Neptune, but also took place in other areas of Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties, he said.

Asbury Park police Deputy Chief Anthony Salerno said between six and eight officers are involved in the ongoing investigation and at least 12 officers took part in this morning’s sweep.

While heroin sales are not unique to one of the city’s four quadrants, the south west quadrant, where most of the city’s violent crimes take place, has the highest amount of sales and drug arrests, he said.

Members of the organization refer to the product as “dog food,” “parties,” “girls,” “clothing,” and “jeans,” in recorded conversations that refer to customer satisfaction and branding of the illegal narcotics, Fishman said.

“They were not talking about consumer goods,” Fishman said. “They were talking about illegal drugs.”

Bags of the seized heroin are named and stamped with logos like “street doctor,” “fly high,” “youtube,” Hurricane Sandy,” “Poland Spring water,” and “final game,” he said, and the top-of-the-line product sold by the organization was called “white bitch.”

In taped recordings, at least three of the co-conspirators expressed concerns that the quality of heroin on the street was “not great,” and was either too strong or making people sick, Fishman said, and were given instruction to increase the amount of inert or other ingredients used to cut the heroin by 25 percent.

“Some may have been to strong, some may have not liked the quality,” he said. No mention of what substance was being used to cut the drug was made in the recordings. In addition, no country or state of origin is named in the complaint to identify where the drugs are entering the area, he said.

Carl J. Kotowski, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division, said the image of the modern day heroin addict is a “total change” from what it was 30 or 40 years ago.

“We’ve gone from the addict in the alley with a needle in his veins to the boy next door snorting heroin,” he said. “It’s the soccer mom, it’s the youth sports coach, it’s the business owner, it’s the college graduate.

He attributed increased heroin use to prescription drug abuse, claiming the medical community is “over liberal” in prescribing pills. In addition, the price for one narcotic in pill form is upwards of $30 whereas the price of one glassine bag of heroin is between $5 and $10.

“It is very pure, and it is very cheap,” he said.

Awareness and education must play key roles in the fight against New Jersey’s heroin epidemic, he said.

An initial appearance is scheduled today in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Lois H. Goodman in Trenton federal court for the 14 individuals taken into custody.

The conspiracy count each defendant is charged with carries a minimum potential penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The conspiracy count charging Mendez and Lyons carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

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