Thirteen individuals have been apprehended and charged for their role in a sprawling drug trafficking ring centered in New York City, with federal agents confiscating approximately 500 kilograms of cocaine, as per a recent release. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, alongside top agents from the DEA, FBI, and the New York State Police, announced the crackdown on this major narcotics network that has allegedly been channeling drugs from California to various New York locales.
In a meticulously coordinated effort on June 12, law enforcement officers conducted raids across 24 sites in New York and New Jersey, also netting arrests in Georgia and Pennsylvania. The operation bore fruit, resulting in the seizure of almost 250 kilos of cocaine along with fentanyl pills, other controlled substances, a weapon, and over a cool million in cash. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, the bust followed an extended 18-month investigation that saw over 240 kilos of cocaine, 185 pounds of methamphetamine, and nearly 700 pounds of marijuana seized prior to the latest operation.
United States Attorney Sarcone emphasized on the collaborative approach used to topple this “sophisticated” network, which he accused of exploiting weak state laws to flood Upstate New York communities with drugs. “This case demonstrates the federal government’s commitment to taking back our communities from the criminal organizations that have proliferated in recent years,” he stated in a release obtained by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York. Meanwhile, DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino affirmed that the agency remains committed to continuing its efforts to combat the circulation of illicit narcotics…