A joint sting operation in New York busted up two major gun rings, with 19 persons arrested and seized 254 weapons in total. Although rapper Matthew “Neno” Best was at best a low-level operative, his actions on social media helped NYPD investigators nab the individual for brokering the sales of the guns in Brooklyn.
As reported yesterday (August 20) the massive gun bust, the largest in city history, by undercover cops was highly touted by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. In what could be perceived as a cheap media ploy, the mayor used “Operation Up On The Hill” as a platform to endorse the unconstitutional “stop-and-frisk” police tactic.
Best, only charged with one count of conspiracy, allowed his Ocean Hill recording studio to be a base of operations for “broker” Omole Adedji. Gun ring leaders Walter Walker, 28, of Sanford, N.C. and Earl Campbell, 23, of Rock Hill, S.C., worked with Adedji to unload their respective stash of guns, who then unknowingly sold them to undercover officers. Walker and Campbell used low-cost “Chinatown” style buses to ship guns to the city from down south.
Best, 26, bragged about his criminal exploits via a variety of social media channels, including a very active and now deleted Instagram page. This activity led NYPD authorities to Adedji and eventually Walker and Campbell. In all, the men didn’t make long bread for the risks involved, as Walker earned $82,000 while Campbell earned $75,000.
Thanks to the NYPD evidence files and New York Magazine, Best’s foolish boasting will live on in infamy.
Check out the pictures of struggle rapper Neno Best, and all those guns, on the following pages.
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Photo: NYPD, Instagram, YouTube
