The Rhode Island State Police has announced that on Friday, the Rhode Island State Police HIDTA Task Force, assisted by members of the Violent Fugitive Task Force, Pawtucket Police Department Special Squad Narcotics Unit, Providence Police Department Violent Crime Task Force, and the Drug Enforcement Administration Providence Resident Office concluded a narcotics and firearms investigation within the Cities of Pawtucket and Providence. This investigation was initiated into an organized criminal group operating within these areas who have been alleged to be associated with violent firearms-related offenses and narcotics trafficking. As a result, numerous court-authorized search warrants were executed during the early morning hours at Prospect Street, Pawtucket, Glenham Street, Providence, and Andy Street, Providence
During the execution of the court-authorized search warrants, members of law enforcement seized three illegal 9mm firearms with considerable amounts of ammunition. Two of the illegal firearms were equipped with illegal auto-sear devices, or “sear switches”. These small devices, typically made of plastic or metal on a 3D printer, modify a semi-automatic handgun to be a fully automatic machine gun, allowing a user to pull the trigger of a firearm once for continuous firing. Members of the HIDTA Task Force also seized an extended magazine, ammunition, over one ounce of Cocaine, Fentanyl, Amphetamine, Marijuana, equipment utilized to process and manufacture illegal narcotics, and almost $20,000 US Currency.
The following subjects were charged with numerous narcotics and firearms charges, arraigned at 6th District Court, and held without bail…