Just as Jeff personally guided John's team in restoring the scene, Old Mike was finally preparing to execute his plan.
Sean had invested significant manpower and resources into investigating the drug delivery network of the Dimeo Group. Their narcotics originated from Mexico, but instead of transiting through the United States, they were transported by sea.
Beginning in the Gulf of Mexico, the drugs bypassed the Straits of Florida, continuing north until they were traded off the coast of New Jersey. Sean understood that this delivery network was operated by a separate gang that neither produced nor sold the drugs; their sole responsibility was transportation. Along the way, they distributed narcotics to various states along the East Coast, with all transactions occurring at sea.
The gang would send sea coordinates a few hours before a transaction, and buyers would wait at those coordinates for delivery. Once the transaction was completed, the drugs were no longer the gang's concern; it was the buyer's responsibility to bring them into the United States.
Typically, the Dimeo Group used a yacht to transport the drugs to a beach near Point Pleasant in the dead of night. Divers would then retrieve the goods and load them onto garbage trucks bound for a waste incineration plant owned by the Dimeo criminal organization. This facility was the largest waste incineration plant in New Jersey, handling the majority of the state's waste disposal.
Garbage trucks moved freely throughout New Jersey, and the Dimeo Group had no illusions about making a profit from this plant. Their primary purpose in acquiring and operating it was to facilitate the safe and efficient transport of drugs.
With New Jersey generating about 1,500 tons of domestic waste daily, the small amount of contraband hidden within was virtually undetectable. However, Sean, aware that the gang was vulnerable, had learned from Gustavo that their goods came from the sea. With this information, tracing the delivery process became less daunting.
Moreover, Sean's intelligence team didn't concern themselves with the legality of their sources; they were focused solely on results. Methods such as wiretapping, bribery, coercion, and even torture were all on the table.
According to intelligence reports, the Dimeo Group distributed drugs from the waste incineration plant, transporting them to various cities via garbage trucks. Today marked a delivery to Trenton.
Old Mike parked his car and walked to a nearby newsstand to buy a newspaper, reading it as he strolled. Arriving at a T-junction, he leaned against a streetlight, engrossed in the paper.
With one hand in his pocket—where the bottom had been cut open—he discreetly lowered a triangular device to the ground. The line was taut, like fishing line, allowing the triangle to fall silently.
After finishing a page, Old Mike flipped to the next and noticed a garbage truck approaching in the distance. He fixed his gaze on it, counting the seconds. When it was about ten meters away, he lightly nudged the triangle with his foot, sending it rolling unnoticed.
As the garbage truck drew closer, Old Mike quickly adjusted the triangle's position using the line.
Bang! A second later, the right front wheel of the garbage truck exploded.
The truck, originally meant to continue straight, veered uncontrollably to the right as the rear wheel exploded almost simultaneously.
The vehicle could no longer be controlled and rolled into the T-junction, crashing with a loud bang and sending sparks flying as it skidded for several meters before finally coming to a stop.
Garbage cans spilled across the road, and one white box, tightly wrapped in plastic, rolled out, catching the eyes of onlookers.
The driver, bloodied and dazed, had not bothered to fasten his seatbelt. Though he remained conscious, he was clearly shaken.
As the accident attracted a crowd, many noticed the box that stood out amidst the debris.
Coincidentally, the Trenton Police Station was just at the T-junction. Officers rushed to the scene as soon as the crash occurred, puzzled by the truck's unexpected route.
While everyone was distracted by the overturned vehicle, Old Mike skillfully reeled in the fishing line to retrieve the triangle, blending seamlessly into the crowd.
A police officer helped the driver from the cab while another officer, noting the tightly wrapped box, exchanged concerned glances with his partner. Having been around long enough, they knew that the garbage disposal business was linked to the Dimeo Group, leading them to suspect the contents of the box.
Seeing their hesitation, Old Mike, still concealed in the crowd, feigned interest and murmured, "This package is odd. Why would there be something like this when the truck is empty?"
His words stirred curiosity among the onlookers, prompting the officers to approach the box.
"No! Wait!" the injured driver shouted, realizing the implications.
Tension thickened as the officers hesitated but ultimately decided to open the package. Inside, they found a bag of white powder, which elicited gasps from the crowd.
"Oh my god!" came the exclamations from shocked onlookers as the reality of the situation dawned on them.
Seizing the moment, Old Mike quietly stepped back, retreating to a corner of the street, satisfied that he had accomplished his task. Sean had instructed him to expose the drugs being delivered by the Dimeo Group, and the rest was beyond his concern.
Meanwhile, Akomo Apler was seething with rage. He swept everything off his desk in a fit of fury, his finger pointing angrily at his subordinates. If it weren't for his notoriously short temper, he might have avoided the liver cancer diagnosis that loomed over him.
It was unfathomable—an entire box containing eight kilograms of high-purity poison had been delivered right to the police station's doorstep because of a punctured tire and an overturned truck! Initially, Akomo couldn't process the news; it seemed too outrageous to be true.
However, as he received a detailed report, the pieces began to fall into place. Too many coincidences led him to believe that this was no accident. Someone had orchestrated this chaos.
While he had no direct evidence, his instincts told him that a hidden hand had manipulated the situation. The most likely culprits were rivals or law enforcement agents working against him.
Fortunately, the incident had occurred right at the police station, and Akomo knew he could retrieve the drugs—if he acted quickly enough.
His mind raced with potential strategies to reclaim control over his operation. He had to ensure that the Dimeo Group's reputation remained intact while eliminating any traces of their involvement in this blunder.
As he plotted his next move, Akomo realized that he needed to tighten his grip on the network and root out any leaks. There was no room for error; the stakes had never been higher.
With a mix of fury and determination, he prepared to take action, ready to confront whoever had dared to challenge him.
Old Mike, lingering in the shadows, felt a sense of relief wash over him. His role in the operation was complete, but he knew that the aftermath would ripple through the criminal underworld. Whatever chaos ensued, he was just a cog in the larger machine, and in this line of work, survival often depended on being one step ahead of the game.
As the police began to cordon off the area and gather evidence, he slipped away, blending into the bustling streets of Trenton, leaving the unfolding drama behind him. His thoughts turned to Sean and the next phase of their investigation. The Dimeo Group had been dealt a blow today, but the fight was far from over.