Brazilian `diet' pill cache uncovered; Police arrest husband, wife, mother.

Byline: Elaine Thompson

MARLBORO - A Pearl Street woman, her husband and her 69-year-old mother were arraigned yesterday after police searched their apartment and found thousands of pills and capsules containing several illicit drugs that had been illegally transported from Brazil.

They were arrested Friday, after a lengthy investigation involving the Marlboro and Hudson police departments, and the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, the Food and Drug Administration and the Postal Police.

Arrested were Neusa Aniz Bento, 48; her husband, Eron S. Alves, 48; and Ms. Bento's mother, Maria Aniz, 69, all of 52 Pearl St., Apt. 1. Each is charged with possession of a Class C drug; possession to distribute a Class C drug; drug violation near a school (two counts); possession of a Class E drug; possession with intent to distribute a Class E drug; and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

At their arraignment in Marlboro District Court, Judge Jonathan Brant scheduled pretrial hearings for June 23 and set bail for Ms. Aniz at $100 cash or $1,000 with surety; for Ms. Bento at $250 cash or $2,500 with surety; and for Mr. Alves at $5,000 cash or $50,000 with surety. They were all bailed out by Fernando F. Cory of 38 Priest St., Hudson.

Hudson police began the investigation several months ago, after being informed that pills and capsules containing controlled substances, including Prozac, diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, bromazepam and furosemide, were being illegally imported from Brazil and sold under the guise of diet pills. Similar capsules had also been seized by Marlboro police. The pills were sent to the U.S. Food and Drug lab, where they were determined to be controlled substances illegal to possess without a prescription.

In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned the public about "Brazilian diet pills" containing active ingredients of Prozac, Librium and fluxetine HCI, an antidepressant used to treat panic disorder, bulimia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The drug is reported to have serious side effects, including abnormal bleeding, anxiety and suicidal behavior in children.

During their investigation, police later learned that the local suppliers lived at the Pearl Street apartment. Friday afternoon, a U.S. Postal Police officer working undercover delivered a box containing several thousand pills to the apartment. Armed with a search warrant, police found several containers with thousands of illegal capsules, most prepackaged in sealed plastic bags.

Police said that after Mr. Alves was arrested and booked at the station, he told them that he receives a box of 3,000 capsules about three times a year. He said

"he then repackages them into a 60-day supply and sells two packages for $180, and from that he makes a $60 profit, which he uses to pay his bills.

During the summer months, he said he averages about $550 a week profit from selling capsules, police said.

In addition to the prepackaged pills, police seized a suitcase with thousands of other pills and capsules packaged in foreign pharmaceutical containers. They were sent to the FDA lab for analysis.