Heroin Pipeline Stretching from Mexico to NYC and Long Island Dismantled Nine defendants arrested as part of multi-agency effort to dismantle drug operation trafficking heroin, cocaine, MDMA, & steroids on streets and over Craigslist DEC 19 (MINEOLA, N.Y.) - Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice was joined by Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and city and federal officials yesterday afternoon to announce the dismantling of a multi-million dollar illegal drug pipeline which ran directly from Mexico to New York City and Long Island as part of an investigation involving local, state and federal law enforcement. The case has taken down a drug pipeline that has trafficked in several million dollars’ worth of heroin in the New York area, as well as cocaine, MDMA (a/k/a ecstasy or molly) and anabolic steroids sold via Craigslist. In total, nine defendants from Mexico, California, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens have been indicted and arrested in recent weeks as part an ongoing investigation initiated by DA Rice’s office and conducted jointly with the Nassau County Police Department, the Special Narcotics Prosecutor of New York City, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s NY Drug Enforcement Task Force, which consists of the DEA, NYC Police Department and NY State Police. Investigators tracked the source of heroin being sold by two defendants in Nassau back to a drug pipeline centered around Bronx resident Cesar Romero-Astudillo, also known as “Menor.” Romero-Astudillo led a drug trafficking network that funneled narcotics by vehicles driven from Mexico and inside “mules” flying from California – all destined for New York City and Long Island to fuel a deepening epidemic of heroin. “This case proves that the battle lines in our fight to save lives in the midst of a devastating heroin epidemic don’t end at any border. We tracked the supply of narcotics entering our region from the source, and in the process, dismantled a drug trafficking network that stretched from Mexico to New York,” DA Rice said. “This case sends a strong message that those who profit from a drug trade causing misery and death for so many will be held accountable at every level of our criminal justice system. I want to thank the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor, the Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the Nassau County Police Department for their diligent efforts to help bring these defendants to justice.” New York City’s Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan said, “Staunching the deluge of heroin flowing to the New York area from Mexico will require an all hands on effort by local, state and federal law enforcement. This case is an example of successful collaboration. The leadership of Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice is greatly appreciated.” DEA Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt said, “The nation is being besieged by heroin – over a two year period U.S. heroin overdose deaths have more than doubled. Like rubbing salt in the wound, Cesar Romero Astudillo’s drug crew pushed heroin throughout the streets of NYC and Nassau County feeding heroin abuse in our communities. Today’s announcement exemplifies drug law enforcement’s efforts to identify and arrest those responsible at all levels of the distribution chain.” December 19, 2014 Contact: Public Information Officer Number: 212-337-2906
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 19:26:01 +0000
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