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Police Bust 62 In Massive Queens Drug Bust
By
Ben Yakas
Published Feb 17, 2011
Modified Feb 17, 2011
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Feb 17, 2011
Modified Feb 17, 2011
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Police arrested 62 people in the past 24 hours as part of a massive undercover drug bust in Queens. Since last August, police have purchased (pdf) over $100,000 worth of crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, oxycodone, ecstasy and BZP from the suspects, who range in age from 16 to 62, as part of "Operation Stampede."
The suspects were members of nine affiliated crews (including "Team New $," "Weed Crew" and "Get $ Crew"), and based in two Jamaica, Queens housing complexes (the Baisley Park Housing Development and Rochdale Village). Queens District Attorney Richard Brown added that thirty three of the purchases came within 1,000 feet from local school MS 72:
“The vast majority of the residents of these two housing complexes are decent, hard-working citizens who have been virtually held hostage by the gangster lifestyle of a relatively few individuals who are alleged to have operated with near impunity - allegedly selling a cornucopia of illegal drugs in their building stairwells and in the parking lots of a nearby fast food restaurant and pharmacy, while a seemingly defiant ten are alleged to have sold their illicit products near neighboring schools on more than thirty separate occasions.”
Altogether, police seized 60 pounds of marijuana, stashes of other drugs, $30,000 in cash, eight firearms and six cars in the bust. Fourteen people have been indicted and charged with criminal sale of controlled substance, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal sale of a weapon, and could face up to 25 years in prison.
Tagged
crime
drug bust
jamaica
operation stampede
queens
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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