Bridget G. Brennan, New York City’s Special Narcotics Prosecutor, Carlos Velazquez, Executive Director of New York City’s Police Athletic League (PAL), and New York City Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell announced today the opening of a Police Athletic League (PAL) Playstreet on West 124th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan. PAL Playstreets provide youth with fun recreational opportunities in a safe atmosphere during the summer months.

A court authorized search of an apartment in the Mount Hope neighborhood of the Bronx resulted in the seizure of approximately 110 kilograms of heroin, fentanyl and cocaine, plus 50 pounds of a substance believed to be crystal meth and up to 75,000 counterfeit pills believed to contain fentanyl. The drugs, which were allegedly intended for citywide distribution, carry an estimated street value of approximately $24 million. JULIO MOTA PLASENCIA was arrested in the stash apartment on Monday night and is charged with Operating as a Major Trafficker.

Following a yearlong investigation into narcotics and gun trafficking in Queens and Brooklyn, 13 individuals were arrested in Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx during the past two days on charges contained in two indictments that are unsealed and two criminal court complaints that were filed today. During the long-term investigation, an undercover officer purchased large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and heroin including fentanyl pressed into counterfeit prescription pills with a street value worth over $3 million. In total,15 kilograms of cocaine and 12 kilograms of fentanyl mixtures were seized along with an assault weapon and three firearms, two of which were allegedly sold by accused ringleader NELSON CRUZ who is charged with Operating as a Major Trafficker.

A North Carolina man is charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree for allegedly selling 22 kilograms (over 48 pounds) of crystal methamphetamine in Manhattan and Queens during an undercover investigation.

A Manhattan man was arrested for sales of two guns and thousands of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl following a long-term undercover investigation. At the time of his arrest, AARON SANCHEZ was allegedly carrying a dog toy stuffed with 1,000 counterfeit pills.

An indictment filed in Manhattan Supreme Court charges two men in connection with a kidnapping and assault that allegedly occurred on January 31, 2022 in the Morris Park neighborhood of the Bronx. An investigation revealed that the alleged incident stemmed from a theft of narcotics that investigators believe occurred on or about January 29, 2022 in the Bronx.

An indictment filed in Manhattan Supreme Court by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor charges JOSE DELACRUZ with Operating as a Major Trafficker, Conspiracy in the Second Degree, and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First and Third Degrees, following the seizure of 50 kilograms of cocaine (approximately 110 pounds) from a tractor-trailer truck stopped in Virginia. The large load of cocaine was headed towards New York City and carried a street value of at least $1.25 million.

Three individuals were arrested in connection with a large-scale heroin/fentanyl packaging mill in Maspeth, Queens on Tuesday night. Members of the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force (NYDETF) recovered more than five kilograms of narcotics (over 11 pounds) from two apartments located on a residential block near Calvary Cemetery. The suspected heroin/fentanyl recovered at the mill is estimated to carry a street value of more than $1.5 million.

A supervising pharmacist at a Gravesend, Brooklyn pharmacy was arrested this morning for allegedly using forged prescriptions to obtain oxycodone pills for illegal resale, and falsifying prescription data reported to New York State. ANTHONY C. PANICCIOLI entered a plea of guilty to Attempted Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree in Manhattan Criminal Court.

A three-month investigation disrupted a Georgia-to-New York gun trafficking pipeline and resulted in the seizure of 25 guns, including five assault weapons. The guns and a quantity of cocaine were sold to an undercover officer.

A months-long investigation culminated in the seizure of approximately 13 kilograms of alleged heroin (28 pounds), three guns and ammunition from an apartment used as a drug stash house in the North Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx. Two individuals were apprehended after initially evading arrest. The heroin recovered in this case carries a street value of approximately $4 million.

An indictment filed by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor charges five individuals in a sophisticated conspiracy to smuggle millions of dollars in cocaine from Puerto Rico to New York and
Massachusetts via the U.S. Postal Service.