NEW YORK (VINnews) — The NYPD announced Friday the seizure of more than 580 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $10 million in Long Island City, calling it the department’s largest cocaine seizure in at least a decade.

Nelson Salcedo, 35, of Englewood, New Jersey, was arrested Wednesday after investigators allegedly caught him loading boxes from a self-storage facility into a van.

Largest cocaine bust in a decade.

Thanks to old-fashioned detective work and the collaboration between local and federal law enforcement, 266 kilos of cocaine with a street value of $10 million was seized, and will never hit our streets. pic.twitter.com/NAQc1GmhQZ

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) August 28, 2026

Authorities said the cocaine was allegedly destined for distribution in Manhattan and New Jersey as part of a major trafficking operation linked to an international cartel.

The investigation began months ago as authorities looked into suspected cocaine trafficking between New Jersey and New York.

Investigators said they twice observed Salcedo, on Aug. 12 and Aug. 19, allegedly delivering heavy cardboard boxes to another person near the northern end of Central Park. The recipient remains at large.

Expecting another delivery Wednesday, investigators followed Salcedo to a self-storage facility at 41-02 Northern Blvd. in Long Island City.

At about 4:20 p.m., investigators allegedly watched Salcedo make two trips into the facility, returning with brown cardboard boxes. They then saw him load some of the boxes into a Nissan van.

.@NYPDPC and law enforcement partners make a public safety-related announcement. https://t.co/upgCDd7q1J

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) August 28, 2026

Authorities stopped Salcedo and found 12 boxes inside the van and seven more on the ground nearby. After obtaining a search warrant, investigators recovered approximately 230 brick-shaped packages containing about 266 kilograms, or more than 580 pounds, of suspected cocaine.

Field tests came back positive for cocaine, while NYPD laboratory testing remains pending.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch called the seizure a “massive shipment of narcotics” tied to an interstate trafficking network with connections across New York and New Jersey.

“This was the NYPD’s largest cocaine seizure in at least a decade,” Tisch said.

Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan said it appeared to be the largest single cocaine cache seized by her office in 20 years.

Authorities said the cocaine appeared to be highly pure and could have been mixed with fentanyl or other substances before reaching street-level buyers, potentially increasing both the quantity and danger of the drugs.

The investigation involved the DEA’s New Jersey Field Division, NYPD, New Jersey State Police and Port Authority Police Department, along with prosecutors in New York and New Jersey.

Three people have been arrested in connection with the broader investigation, authorities said, while at least one suspected recipient of the cocaine remains at large.

Salcedo faces criminal possession of a controlled substance charges and is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.