November 1, 1985, 0716 hours. The Central Islip Fire Department was called to assist approximately 50 law enforcement officials from Suffolk Police, NYS Police, US DEA, Nassau County Police and the NYPD, who raided 229 Atlantic Avenue. When the fire department arrived, police had already evacuated all of the residents within a half mile radius of the location due to a large quantity of chemicals that were on site and being used to manufacture cocaine. According to the DEA, six people, including a father and three of his sons were arrested in connection with the manufacture of a quantity of the drug with an approximate street value of $250,000.00.
Cops found:
9-55 gallon drums of Ether, which is used to purify and process the cocaine.
8-55 gallon drums of Acetone
1-55 gallon drum of a cleaning compound (also ether)
2-5 gallon containers of Ether
8-5 gallon containers of unknown substances
3-1 pint bottles of MCB Methanol
7 bottles of Hydrochloric Acid
1 bottle of Pottassium
5 bottles of Ammonia
1-36 gallon container of Hydrochloric Acid
2 32 gallon trash cans with cocaine salt in Ether
Firefighters removed the cocaine/ether solution away from the barn and neutralized it as directed by representatives from Chemical Pollution Control. Once the scene was secured and the hazard removed, firefighters were released from the scene. Firefighters operated for 7 hours and 54 minutes.
Charged in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn with conspiracy to manufacture cocaine were Miguel Mitias Sr, 42 and his sons Miguel Mitias Jr, 20 and Frank Matias, 18, all of 229 Atlantic Street. Jose Carmelo, 48 of 162 Pigeon Meadow Road in Flushing and Anna Mendia, 38 of 863 Duncan Drive in Westbury. Angel Matias, 17 also of 229 Atlantic Street, was being held by Suffolk Police for drug possession.
At the time of this incident, this was the second raid on a cocaine producing lab on Long Island. In July, a lab was busted in Baiting Hollow.
