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NYPD announced the takedown of two major drug ring operations in the Washington Heights section of New York. An open-air crack and heroin market and a cocaine delivery service were the operations that were shut down, leading to the indictment of 35 individuals.

Gothamist reported on the announcement of the arrests, with police stating the busts were traced back to the Trinitarios, an internationally-recognized Dominican gang that began on the Rikers Island prison.  Gothamist reported in detail about the arrests, and it appears the drug operations had some manner of cooperative connection.

From Gothamist:

 Cops accuse Edickson “Gordo” Garcia, Melvin Beltre, and Garis Retances of managing the product and overseeing 18 suspected street-level dealers who allegedly did much of their work near W. 177th Street and Audubon Avenue, a half-block from PS 115.

The group allegedly did most of its business selling crack, but during the course of the year and a half investigation, suspects allegedly provided customers with heroin samples, got them hooked, and began offering smack on a regular basis as well. A second distribution area, allegedly overseen by Garcia and four other suspects, operated on Audubon between 178th and 179th streets, prosecutors said.

In a separate indictment, also announced today, 11 suspects allegedly did $75,000 in delivery orders of powder cocaine over the course of six months. Twenty-nine-year-old Roberto Garcia is accused of supervising the ring, operated out of a St. Nicholas Avenue apartment, with his aunt Nancy Garcia Mustafa, 53.

Gothamist writes that 32 of the 35 indicted individuals are now arrested. Edickson Garcia faces a possible 33 felonies while Roberto Garcia and his aunt are facing kingpin charges that could land them 15 years to life in prison among other charges.

Photo: Valerie Everett / Foter / CC BY-SA