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Fentanyl and an unspecified amount of illegal proceeds were seized during the New Milford raid around 6 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, a source close to the takedown told Daily Voice.
Meanwhile, in New York City, 10 accused members of the Washington Heights faction of the Trinitarios were nabbed as part of the operation, led by members of ICE's Homeland Security Investigations New York office and including the NYPD and the U.S. Secret Service.
Three others named in a federal complaint on file in Manhattan were already in custody in New Jersey. They include Alvin "Goo" Eusebio, a violent 37-year-old fugitive who was captured by Fairview police last September.
SEE: Armed, Dangerous Fugitive Wanted By NYPD, ATF Captured By Fairview Police
The other two were identified as Edward Rodriguez and Jawan Mills.
Members of the Washington Heights-based 174th Street crew were identified as Alexander "Javy" Francisco, Aristides "AR" Ramirez, David Glover, Alex "AG" Garcia, Aneudy "Smiley" Alvarado, Jeriel "Jerry Gunz" Abreu, Lazareth "Laz" Paulino, Joan "Saul" Mercedes, Emmanual "Chubster" Liriano and Christopher "Casper" Santos.
Still at large were Ray Eduardo, Jonathan "JR" Rodriguez and Eddy "Malibu" Caminero.
The raids were executed with the unsealing of an indictment returned by a grand jury in the Southern District.
Seized during the raids were meth, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, Percocet and suboxone, as well as more than $100,000 in cash and at least one illegal firearm.
Members of the Dominican-American criminal organization created an "organized, sophisticated narcotics trafficking operation that is best described as a street pharmacy," a release issued by the office of U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams says.
The crew sold "a variety of narcotics, both illicit and prescription, to its customers, including methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, crack cocaine, fentanyl, oxycodone, Xanax, and marijuana," the release says.
The open-air drug market was open all hours, with members working in assigned shifts, it says.
Manager made sure the operation was properly staffed by fining and otherwise disciplining members who missed work and demanding proof of illness -- such as a doctor’s note or picture of a positive COVID-19 test -- when they did.
Members and managers were often armed, authorities said.
Together, they "injected substantial quantities of narcotics into the community, putting dangerous drugs on the streets and putting lives in danger," said Williams, the SDNY U.S. attorney. "Thanks to the extraordinary work of our partners at NYPD, HSI, and the USSS, the defendants now face federal charges for their crimes.”
The operation "represents another important stride in our ongoing effort to combat narcotics trafficking and firearms use in New York City and also reinforces our commitment to our law enforcement partners," HSI Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo added.
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