Large haul of heroin, two stolen assault rifles, body armor, marijuana, two handguns and nearly $11,000 cash seized, with six arrested in Chalmette; $9,000 cash found in clothing in a closet in a related arrest

Terrence Tyler and Kwydwn Shields, main subjects in seizure of five ounces of heroin, two stolen assault rifles, body armor and other items.

The stolen assault rifles recovered

A large amount of heroin – more than five ounces worth at least $15,000 – has been seized in Chalmette by federal drug agents and the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office and also found were two stolen assault rifles, body armor, two pounds of marijuana, two hand guns and nearly $11,000 cash. Six were arrested, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

“This is a large amount of heroin to be seized in St. Bernard Parish but we are also glad to get the stolen assault rifles, body armor, hand guns and marijuana off the streets,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Stolen assault rifles and body armor are especially troubling, in addition to the drugs, the sheriff said.

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration identified a man and woman living in Chalmette as the heroin and marijuana suppliers in the operation and with help from the Narcotics Unit of the Sheriff’s Office a total of four men and two women were arrested.

The main man in the operation will be prosecuted by federal authorities on the heroin and assault rifles cases and the others will be prosecuted on state charges, the sheriff said.

“The cooperation we enjoy with other agencies made these arrests possible,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Maj. Chad Clark, head of the Special Investigations Division whose officers worked with the federal agents in the arrests, said Sheriff’s Office participation in task forces with the DEA, FBI, U.S. Marshal’s Service and State Police produces good results for the parish.

Sheriff Pohlmann said Terrence Tyler, 23, who had been living at 204 5th St. in Chalmette with Kwydwn Shields, also 23, is the main player in the operation and is being held by federal authorities. Neither are St. Bernard natives and neither have previous felony criminal records as adults.

The sheriff said authorities believe heroin was being sold by them in quantities of at least one-ounce.

It was estimated the heroin was worth about $15,000 as it was but was pure enough that it could have been cut in a way making it possible to sell it for much more. The marijuana had an estimated value of $3,000.

Some $1,637 in cash was also seized in the couple’s residence.

Tyler and Shields and four others were arrested May 2 at their residence but investigation continued before the cases were revealed.

Shields is being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of bond set at $80,000.

She is booked with possession of heroin and marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of firearms in the commission of other crimes, illegal possession of body armor and possession of stolen property, the assault rifles.

Tyler will also face the same state counts as the woman.

Three men who were in front of a property Tyler allegedly owns near where he lived and was being renovated were also arrested. As officers approached the three, they found a bag with 2.3 grams of heroin on the ground, the sheriff said.

Booked with possession of the heroin were: Wilbert Smith Jr., 32, 4026 Juno Drive, Chalmette; and Calvin Crump Jr., 36, and Joseph Randolph Jr., 59, both of New Orleans. The sheriff said it was believed they may have been helping renovate Tyler’s property near his home in exchange for heroin.

Crump has served prison terms for murder and second-degree kidnapping, the sheriff said.

Smith initially consented to a search of his Chalmette residence, the sheriff said, but after officers went inside and saw a small amount of marijuana he changed his mind and demanded they get a search warrant from a judge.

Once the warrant was obtained, authorities located more than $9,000 in cash hidden in clothing in a closet, the sheriff said. Smith was booked with possession of marijuana and the money was seized.

A woman who also lived at the Juno residence, Uneike McGrew, 30, was also booked on the marijuana count.