BOWLING GREEN — A New York man is facing federal drug charges after Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers seized more than 17 pounds of heroin, valued at more than $3 million, following a traffic stop last week on the Ohio Turnpike in Wood County.<\/p>\n
Troopers stopped a 2011 Dodge Caliber with Rhode Island registration for a following too close violation eastbound on the Ohio Turnpike, near milepost 71, at approximately 9:59 a.m. Tuesday, December 7. Criminal indicators were observed and consent to search the vehicle was granted by the driver. The search revealed the heroin hidden in the inner wall of a refrigerated cooler located in the vehicle\u2019s cargo area.<\/p>\n
The suspect, Marco Rene Criollo, 46, of Woodhaven, N.Y., was incarcerated in the Lucas County Jail. The case has been turned over the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for prosecution.<\/p>\n
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the average heroin abuser uses an estimated 400 milligrams daily. This seizure has taken nearly 20,000 daily doses out of the hands of its abuser.<\/p>\n
This seizure has made its way into the Patrol\u2019s record books by beating out a seizure in November 2004, when troopers seized 12 pounds of heroin.<\/p>\n