Feds: Mafia, Mexican Drug Cartel Members In Business Together
By Jonathan Dienst
September 18, 2008NEW YORK - Federal drug agents said they have arrested dozens of suspects in an international drug operation that included reputed associates of the Genovese crime family and members of Mexican drug cartels.
As many as 175 people were expected to be charged Wednesday, including nine people in New York City. WNBC's cameras first captured parts of the police roundup.
Drug Enforcement Agents said because of the weak dollar, cocaine meant for distribution in New York was shipped to Europe where the cartels hoped to make bigger profits.
Officials said the main drug organization is known as the "Gulf Cartel," which investigators said shipped tons of cocaine, heroin and other drugs from Mexico and Colombia to the U.S.
Some of those shipments were forwarded via Italian organized crime groups. In addition to drug trafficking charges, investigators said some of the suspects face racketeering, kidnapping and attempted murder charges.
"Among those charged in today’s indictments are members of an organized crime group based in Calabria, Italy, who allegedly sold cocaine supplied by the Gulf Cartel via New York," U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey said.
Dubbed "Project Reckoning," investigators said they seized $57 million in cash, 16,000 kilos of cocaine, 51,000 pounds of marijuana as well as 116 weapons.
"We successfully completed a hard-hitting, coordinated and massive assault on the powerful and extremely violent Gulf Cartel," said DEA Acting Administrator Michele Loenhart.
Investigators said the suspects arrested in New York are expected to appear in federal court in Manhattan Wednesday afternoon.
"We are gratified by the decision of the Court of Appeals reinstating the jury verdict against the two defendants, who can now be sentenced for the extremely serious crimes that they committed," United States Attorney Benton J. Campbell said in a statement. "I commend the extraordinary efforts of the men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New York, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Field Division, the New York City Police Department, and our law enforcement partners. I especially wish to thank the prosecutors, investigators, and staff of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for their exceptional work on this important matter. "
In addition to New York, additional arrests were made in Georgia, Texas, New Mexico and Florida.
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