Dominicans among arrested in major New York State drug bust

New York.- Several Dominicans were detained by federal agents and local narcotics police in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Monroe County, for drug trafficking, illegal weapons possession and other crimes, in the “Operation Pipeline” headed by the New York Attorney General’s Office, State attorney Eric Schneiderman.

The agents seized heroin, fentanyl and weapons, and arrested 16 suspects charged with drug trafficking in suburban Monroe County.

The prosecution said it’s the fifth bust of a drug gang since it launched the “Surge” initiative against opiates in the suburbs and Upstate New York.

The 16 defendants: Juan Carlos Romero Gómez “Pancho”, Omar Hernández “Buti”, Daniel Polanco “Tito”, Santiago Waldron “Santiago”, Angel D. Abreu “Gordito”, Angel Colón, Larry M. Polanco Rodríguez , Julio Jonquet Castillo “Julito”, Dagoberto Miranda “Octavio,” Rafael Rodríguez, José Falcón “Andy”, Rafael Montoya Morales, Samuel Maldonado, Miguel Rodríguez “Gordo”, José Abril and Luis A. Rodríguez Figueroa ” Colorao.”

The bust resulted from Operation Pipeline, a joint investigation by the New York State Attorney General and local and State Police.

In a statement, Schneiderman said to deal with the growing epidemic, a multiagency effort is being made to prosecute gangs and individuals who ship heroin and other narcotics to suburbia and throughout New York State.

“The opium and narcotics crisis is destroying families throughout New York State, and we are committed to cutting the pipeline that is fueling this epidemic.”

“Operation Pipeline and our S.U.R.G.E. Demonstrate the productive alliance we have built with the local police as we tackle this crisis. ”

The detainees were apprehended in raids in Rochester, the Bronx, Brooklyn, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Florida and California.