Thirty-six members of two rival Manhattan drug trafficking organizations operating in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) housing projects have been charged in federal court with narcotics trafficking and firearms offenses.
The defendants, who were arrested in a coordinated operation between the FBI and NYPD, are accused of trafficking in heroin, crack cocaine, oxycodone, and marijuana in and around three NYCHA developments in East Harlem: the President George Washington Houses, the East River Houses, and the Metro North Plaza.
According to the indictments, the defendants protected their lucrative businesses with guns and violence, and peddled drugs near schools and in city hospitals.
“For far too long, NYCHA residents have had to live with drug dealing and violence as part of their everyday lives,” said Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. “With the arrests of 36 alleged members of violent drug trafficking groups, we seek to stem the flow of drugs and the cycle of violence plaguing the Washington Houses, East River Houses and Metro North Plaza.”
The charges include narcotics trafficking and firearms offenses, and the defendants are accused of carrying out their illegal business dealings in the East Harlem area.
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Diego Rodriguez said: “Today we carried out a coordinated operation to arrest more than 30 members of two drug trafficking organizations who violently carried out their illegal business dealings in the East Harlem area.”
Commissioner William J. Bratton added: “For years the residents of East Harlem have been subjected to the violence and fear associated with the rampant illegal narcotics activity in this area. Today’s arrests with the FBI and prosecution by the office of the US Attorney for the Southern District will undoubtedly result in a safer East Harlem community.”
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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