Man accused of selling ‘pink cocaine’ in NYC

MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) – A man was busted in Manhattan on Tuesday for allegedly selling “pink cocaine,” a drug that’s increasingly being distributed in New York, authorities said.

Rodrigo Zapata, a 27-year-old resident of Union City, New Jersey, was arrested following a months-long undercover investigation, according to the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York.

Zapata is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and criminal sale of firearms, authorities said.

Between April and September, Zapata allegedly sold pink cocaine, cocaine and guns to an undercover officer at several locations in Manhattan, including Harlem, Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattanville, Greenwich Village and near Central Park, authorities said.

Law enforcement seized eight guns and more than a pound of cocaine and pink cocaine as a result of the investigation, according to the Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s Office.

“The charges announced today allege bold drug and gun sales in public spaces across Manhattan, which endangered the safety and security of New Yorkers in commercial districts, near parks, and in residential areas,” Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan said.

Pink cocaine, also known by the street name “tusi,” is often mixed with other drugs and substances such as MDMA, ketamine, caffeine and mescaline, according to authorities.

An NYPD laboratory analyzed the pink cocaine from three of Zapata’s previous sales and found mixtures of ketamine and MDMA and ketamine alone, authorities said.

“With the recent increase in the distribution of ‘pink cocaine’ in New York, the DEA and our law enforcement partners have begun targeting those individuals responsible for sale of this illicit drug,” DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino said. “I commend our DEA team and partners for their diligent work in removing these dangerous individuals, like Mr. Zapata, from our streets.”

Finn Hoogensen is a digital journalist who has covered local news for more than five years. He has been with PIX11 News since 2022. See more of his work here .

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