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Authorities also said they seized 13 guns -- including two assault rifles -- as well as large amounts of heroin and cocaine when they arrested Dashon Coleman, 37, of Kearny; and Newark residents Lamon Thomas, 47, Quameer Elamin, 27, and Hashawn Landrum, 39.
The four were arrested in December as part of an eight-month investigation, "Operation Drive-Thru," headed up by State Police and the Newark Police Department. The ring was based out of a home on Ridgewood Avenue.
“The 13 illegal firearms and 100,000-plus doses of heroin seized in this case starkly illustrate the threat posed by this drug ring,” said Grewal.
“By dismantling this drive-through drug market off I-78, we stopped many thousands of potentially deadly doses of heroin from reaching users across the region and took dangerous guns off the street, including AR-15 assault rifles.”
A Pennsylvania woman, 28-year-old Keena Bryant of Wilkes-Barre, was also arrested on drug charges after authorities said she was found at the Ridgewood Avenue home.
In the December bust, city and state police recovered 100,000 decks of heroin, a kilo of cocaine, a pound of marijuana and nearly $200,000 in cash. Authorities also seized vehicles including a BMW and a Cadillac CTS.
The defendants face 10 to 20 years in prison or more as well as tens of thousands in fines if convicted.
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