Christopher Orellana 

By Sam Barron From Daily Voice

A 46-year-old detective in the North Bergen Police Department was arrested on Monday, Aug. 4, as part of a narcotics investigation that has ensnared other members of law enforcement throughout Hudson County, authorities said.

Christopher Orellana is charged with conspiracy to possess cocaine, Acting Hudson County Prosecutor Wayne Mello said. He was arrested at the North Bergen Police Department, Mello said.

Last week, six people, including three Town of West New York employees, were arrested as part of the investigation and charged with possession of cocaine, authorities said. 

The investigation had led to the seizure of over four kilograms of suspected cocaine, two handguns, seven vehicles, and more than $70,000 in cash, authorities said.

Several West New York officials were previously apprehended  including Thomas Mannion, a retired West New York police detective, Ileana Hernandez, a dispatcher with the West New York Police Department and Marquis Santiago, a Hudson County Correctional Police Officer, authorities said.

Orellana joined the North Bergen Police Department in 2013 after graduating from the Union County Police Academy, the department said in a Facebook post. 

Orellana has served as an officer in the patrol division and an officer in the detective bureau, police said. He has been named Officer of the Month at least twice, in 2016 and 2022, respectively.