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| Drug Ring's Rolling Ruse |
| By silive.com |
| Published: 01/15/2010 |
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Drug-dealing Latin Kings tried to outfox police by stashing heroin and crack cocaine in the airbag compartments of their vehicles during transport across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, authorities say. But undercover officers uncovered the drug ring and arrested four Staten Islanders and three Brooklyn residents on various drug charges as part of an 18-month investigation dubbed "Operation Across the Bridge." Lt. Kurt Vikki, commanding officer of the Staten Island Gang Squad, said the suspects allegedly outfitted their cars with hydraulic trapdoors that were rigged to open when the driver pushed a series of buttons on the dashboard panel in a set order. Dominick Caminiti of the Gang Squad was the lead investigator and arresting officer for the bust, which rounded up Luis Suarez, 23; Esteban Mejia, 25, and Marco Lucena, 21, all of Brooklyn; Mauriceo Council, 33, of the first block of Park Place in New Brighton; Jose Rivera, 30, of the 100 block of Elm Street in West Brighton, and Jose Arroyave, 27 and Samantha Garcia, 24, both of the 100 DRUGS, PAGE A 7block of Kennilworth Avenue in Graniteville. The suspects have all been arraigned, but Mejia and Suarez are expected to be arraigned today in Stapleton Criminal Court. Lucena is being held on $5,000 bail, while Arroyave was remanded to Rikers Island. Miss Garcia was released on her own recognizance. The status of Council and Rivera was unknown last night. Prosecutors Joe Gim and Adam Silberlight of the Staten Island district attorney's Office also aided in the investigation, which included undercover drug purchases, as well as electronic and visual surveillance, according to William J. Smith, a spokesman for District Attorney Dan Donovan. Prosecutors allege the ringleader, Arroyave, sold glassine bags of heroin and plastic bags of cocaine to an informant on 21 separate occasions dating to June 2008. The drug transactions were made in multiple locations on Staten Island and Brooklyn, including the Elbee Gardens apartments in Grasmere, a strip mall on Victory Boulevard in Travis, and near his Kennilworth Avenue home. According to court papers, on Aug. 27, 2009, Arroyave allegedly sold 301 plastic bags of cocaine to an informant for $4,000. The combined weight of the drugs was more than two ounces. Read More. |
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