Cops: Ronkonkoma man accepted drug packages through mail

A man used his uncle’s Ronkonkoma apartment as a drug drop to accept packages of narcotics shipped by airfreight from overseas, police said Friday.

“They came from Germany, The Netherlands, China,” Senior State Police Investigator Joseph Svercel said.

State troopers and federal agents raided the apartment in a private home on Ocean Avenue at 2:47 p.m. Thursday after Lawrence Ross, 36, accepted a controlled delivery of drugs, Svercel said.

Ross’ drug activity came to the attention of authorities about two weeks ago when a dog used by federal agents reacted to a package addressed to him, the investigator said.

The raid was conducted by state troopers, Suffolk County police and agents from the U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Svercel said.

The search turned up more than 2 pounds of the anti-anxiety drug Xanax, 50 grams of cocaine, 460 grams of marijuana, and almost three pounds of MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, he said.

Ross, who had recently moved into his uncle’s apartment, was awaiting arraignment in First District Court in Central Islip on several felony drug charges, police said.

The suspect’s uncle, Rollis Ross, 60, who rented the apartment, was given a desk appearance ticket for misdemeanor marijuana possession, police said.