Fentanyl, Heroin, and Firearms Seized as Law Enforcement Targets Violent Gang’s Grip on Newark Housing Complex
In a crackdown on organized crime, 18 alleged co-conspirators were arrested in Newark, New Jersey, following a 14-month investigation into a major drug trafficking organization. The operation, spearheaded by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, along with numerous federal, state, and local partners, dealt a major blow to a violent street gang controlling the drug trade in the Bradley Court Public Housing Complex.
The arrests, primarily occurring on July 1 and two additional on July 2, led to federal charges against 24 individuals. While four defendants remain at large, law enforcement also executed seven federal search warrants across Essex County, disrupting a complex criminal enterprise.
“Law enforcement partnership and teamwork were essential in our success,” stated HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, emphasizing the thousands of hours of police work that went into the operation. “The livelihood of the tenants throughout 10 three-story apartment buildings who have been plagued by this dangerous enterprise for far too long can now feel a sense of safety and security.”…