70 kg of heroin snagged in biggest DEA seizure in New York's history
BY BARRY PADDOCK , LARRY MCSHANE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Published: Tuesday, May 19, 2015, 11:25 AM Updated: Tuesday, May 19, 2015, 4:45 PM A

Details of the major heroin bust in the Bronx are expected at a Tuesday afternoon news conference with the DEA, the NYPD, the New York state police and the city Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s office.
DEA
Details of the major heroin bust in the Bronx are expected at a Tuesday afternoon news conference with the DEA, the NYPD, the New York state police and the city Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s office.
Investigators seized a record 70 kilos of heroin and $2 million cash after busting a lucrative Bronx drug ring peddling imported Mexican smack, officials said Tuesday.

The stunning amount of heroin recovered — the most in state history — was enough to supply a dose of the drug to every resident of the five boroughs, said Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan.

The Sunday morning seizure was also the fourth-largest heroin grab anywhere by the DEA, with the street value of the drugs estimated at $50 million, officials said.

The ring, in addition to dealing in New York, sold its product in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania, officials said.

The dope was neatly stuffed into 70 one-kilogram packages tucked in a hidden compartment beneath the floor of a car — with each one labeled by the trade name “ROLEX,” officials said.

“New York City is the bull’s eye for drug traffickers, and heroin is their weapon,” said Drug Enforcement Agency Special Agent in Charge James Hunt.

The drug operation was based in a fifth-floor apartment on W. 251st St., near the private Horace Mann School and Van Cortlandt Park, according to authorities.

The Mexican shipments came north at least once a month from the city of Culiacan, an area controlled by the infamous Sinaloa Cartel, officials said. The investigation lasted for a year.

The brazen Mexican traffickers came to the city in February to oversee an earlier delivery — and took some time for sight-seeing in Times Square, said Brennan.

The ring’s accused kingpin, Jose (Hippie) Mercedes, 46, and sidekick Yenci Cruz Francisco, 19, were arrested Sunday near their cars after surveillance video caught the two making an alleged drug pickup one day earlier in Montville, N.J., officials charged.

Francisco was busted after leaving the Bronx apartment that served as the ring’s headquarters and driving off in a Chevrolet Suburban with a compartment hidden beneath the floor.

Authorities found the dope secreted in the car, and then recovered $2 million hidden beneath the floorboards of the apartment, officials said.

Both were ordered held without bail pending a Friday court appearance. The top charge against the pair, operating as a major drug trafficker, carried a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

The details were delivered at a news conference with officials from the DEA, the NYPD, Homeland Security Investigations, the New York state police and the city Special Narcotics Prosecutor's office.

Commissioner William Bratton, speaking recently to the Daily News Editorial Board, warned heroin is "making a big-time comeback" in New York City.

In the last month, authorities seized 24 pounds of heroin from two jets arriving at Kennedy Airport — along with seizures of $85,000 worth of smack in Queens and $26,000 worth in the Bronx.

In the first three months of this year, the DEA seized nearly 200 pounds of heroin and the special prosecutor's office recovered another 120 pounds of smack in the city.

Last year, law enforcement agencies took roughly $300 million in heroin off the streets. That translates to about 30 million doses of dope.

Authorities said that was a mere fraction of the heroin available across the city, where more people died of overdoses than homicides in 2013.

Before I even got to this part, I said to myself that the Mexicans in Yonkers were in on this. That part of Riverdale is right on the southwest Yonkers border, and it's one of the worst neighborhoods in the entire city. And it's been estimated that there are more illegal Mexicans living in that area than anywhere northeast of Texas. But giving asylum to these illegals is a good thing, right?

Anyway, just for the sake of my credibility, it's funny because I just made this post on April 29th:

http://www.gangsterbb.net/threads/ubbthr...true#Post839779

jesus that is a lot of dope

dicknose would have a fix for at least a month

That is SOME drug bust. (I was just thinking the same thing.) So heroin is making a comeback...interesting.

Making a comeback? Heroin has been the scourge of the suburbs for close to a decade now in the northeast. The average user is White, middle class, and addicted at 22. And I'm talking North Jersey, Long Island and Westchester County.

The image of the Black addict doing the nod in Washington Square Park is as outdated as, well, junkies doing the nod in Washington Square Park (Greenwich Village is now the single most expensive zip code in the country, depending on which survey you go by).

H is a big problem in the suburbs of Chicago. Not just any burbs,some of the more affluent towns are really having a major issue with kids getting hooked.

PB... in one post you're going to blame the Mexicans and then admit the majority of users are young white Americans?

They will get it from someone. The vast vast majority of Mexicans are good people. Asylum is a different issue entirely.

My point is that the demand is the problem, now, not really the supply. In my view.

Interesting. Over here it's prescription drugs and meth. And of course everyone smokes pot

A lot of prescription drugs in the Northeast. And the city, too. I could could get anything in the city, it was easy... Just how it is.

The majority of users ARE White suburbanites today. And BLAME the Mexicans? It was a MEXICAN drug bust.


Where did I once fucking say that Mexicans were bad people? I had them working in garbage yards before you were fucking born into Lilly White suburbia. And, believe me, I caught a lot of shit for it by people who would make you wet yourself. But they should come here legally like my grandparents did. Case fucking closed.

And the next time you decide to attack me with a liberal rant, do me a favor and ask me to open my pm. You're one of the few members I'm willing to do that for, and I've always been more than willing to answer all of your questions in said pms.

PB, not trying to attack you.

My phone is dying, I'll I'll respond later...

I had no idea heroin was the number one drug of choice in NY.

And I was enjoying Pizza as a comedian with all his wisecracks. Damn you mightyhealthy for pissing on him.

People are too sensitive nowadays, trying to make every little thing a race issue.

That's what happens when you grow up in a town that's 99 percent the color of Elmer's glue, with a median income of about 100k. And that's not an insult because it works both ways.

In poor majority Black neighborhoods, their frustration is often understandable. But I honestly understand the inner city Black guy who hates Whitey much more than the suburban White guy who hates himself. Because for the life of me, I'll never understand White Guilt. Not when my grandparents didn't arrive here until slavery was already abolished for a hundred years here in New York (1827). My grandparents all arrived in New York City in the 1920's. So what the fuck do I have to feel guilty about?

White Guilt was invented in the suburbs by people who live in predominantly White enclaves. But we've thrown this thread completely off topic, and it's not fair to Scorsese, who researches gangs with a passion. Get it back on track.

Couldn't agree more. Almost all my family came around that same time frame, and the ones that didn't were Union fighters in the Civil War, so why should I feel guilty?

White guilt is nothing but liberal bullshit, I'm proud of who I am. But you're right, back on track!

Weed is the drug of choice and where our friends are in ( lower sentences too , these guys no dummies and for awhile trust me they dominated the pill biz with a strong arm , making millions , just a huge money maker .

Mexican dope is poor quality

The Asians still have lock down on that and afghan . Can you believe the balls on the calabrian that actually walked into that he'll zone and struck big deals with those guys that had brought a lot of dope to Europe . Italians got a stronghold there and they get it all from very corrupt able govts.

Heroin has made a huge comeback with the Feds doing a tremendous job reducing pill abuse . It's that reason why I have some interest in hearing more of the drug debate . Make it legal , tax the hell of it , eliminate a lot of gangs and probably cut mirder rate in half , force people to work , use proceeds to improve education in poor neighborhoods and fully fund rehab centers with no issues on whether a bed is open plus use some money to explore ways to get kids off , reduce spread of diseases . Really the only negative is moral issue butn any kid can get dope today . It's a very interesting issue and with weed likely to be legal in most states within 20-25 years , heroin at some point will be a discussion point in 30-50 years and I'm sure that truth be told with all the benefits and let's be honest the $, not only made but saved it seems somewhat logical at some point . The issue is whether our country begins to actually think and debate wide ranging important issues again that the media has turned into a black , white - no gray- discussion . I mean how many more stupid trillion dollar wars are we gonna get into with almost no debate , or how to solve the social security or Medicare issue. companies today are doing as little as they can in terms of 401k matches and an actual pension , forget about it ( I will say I do work at one of the fairest companies with excellent matches and a pension plan , just different - 5% full comp contribution - cash balance - but yet in still getting into real estate as a steady fall back plan ). So many of these issues are correctable but this damn media and our retarded politicians have put us in a culture where actually debating and hell approving common sense issues is almost impossible and always political and always about what party looks better , screw the benefit for the people that elected them - in essence about them and their party and not America , and don't get me started on the media where facts and stores are made up , fabricated , distorted all for entertainment and $, does that sound American ? Lol . It's a shame where things have trended lately .

I give Obama a ton of credit as healthcare was a huge issue , companies just aren't doing shit these days and 1 bad diagnoses and then a bankruptcy and then lives over . At least we have something in place that is a little messy now but will be fined tuned .

It's another reason why JFK was such a great president , he not only kept us out of Loas ( remember that was the first wanted war by our retreaded JOC in 61 , but Cuba which was damn near impossible and Vietnam - would have saved hundred of billions , saved millions of lives and still have a majority of people believe in govt . Don't forget not 1 Joint chief of staff supported JFK policy , just think how much balls it took for him to say No to that and he was no dummy , it's on record during the missle crisis that he feared a military coup if this wasnt resolved in days, he knew he was on borrowed time but did it for the country , sure he had faults but his benefits were far better . no other leader had ever said No to a war and that missle crisis that our generals so wanted , well guess what 40 years later we learned that the invasion they literally craved and lied for would of resulted in immediate nuclear weapons fired at NYC , DC and Miami , many of us owe our lives to his decision making , I know I do , and unfortunately it's these decisions vs the real power players that resulted in his death

I also applaud Bush for trying to personalize our social security , what a freaking brillliant idea , we get what we put in and we manage it investment wise how we see fit

Going to be an interesting next 15 years to see if we get a PResident that has balls and tries to solve major problems , let's hope

I don't have a problem with anything Pizza or Mighty Healthy wrote. I think it's a misunderstanding between you guys.

I've said before that among any ethnic group, there are the ethnic enclaves that are advanced and ones that are the exact opposite. Any of you guys can immediately name the communities of your fellow hyphen Americans that fall into either category.

I don't think that Pizza pointing out one of the low communities of Mexicans is anything wrong, at face value and particularly because Pizza is always candid and honest in discussions about Italian Americans. If he's candid and honest about people from his common background, why can't he do the same for other groups?

Some guys on here have a million and one opinions about other groups of people but are conspicuously absent in topics that may paint their group in a bad light. Can't take THOSE guys seriously.(they know who they are)

Mighty Healthy gets my respect because he perceived a comment a certain way, and addressed it.He was just asking for clarity....I don't think it's"white guilt" anymore than non jews addressing board comments that they perceive to be anti jewish....to be evidence of "gentile-guilt".

Some people here were unfairly painted with anti-jewish brush, for comments that I didn't perceive to be that at all. But we will all interpret comments based on context and where it's coming from.

I don't have a problem with ANYTHING Pizza said and wouldn't if he was talking about one of MY low ethnic enclaves down in Little Haiti,Florida.
We have to give each other space and room to be honest.
Internet boards are some of the last places where these types of honest discussions can take place.

The truth is the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may make people. And unless people are being malicious, they should always speak the truth as they see it.

I thank you for EVERYTHING you just posted, Gets. But especially for this. I'm always the first guy who jumps on these teenage and twentysomething Italian American kids who worship these assholes because they've never met a real wiseguy in their lives and they've seen too many Scorsese films (but hey, I love Marty, too ).

So if I'm willing to point out the shortcomings of MY OWN KIND, I feel like I'm just being consistent when I do the same with other ethnic groups (providing that I don't get ugly or racial about it).

Off topic: You know I live in Delray Beach part time. And I'm not sure if you know this or not (you probably do), but we're right off Atlantic and A1A, basically right on the ocean. There's a VERY sizeable Haitian community a bit northwest of us on the west side of the Intracoastal.

These poor people work like animals. They pack themselves twenty guys to a van every single morning to go cut cane with ancient machetes up on the edge of West Palm and the Glades. This is for room, board, and probably somewhere in the area of a hundred a week. These people have my respect in a BIG way. But if a Haitian turns around and robs an old lady with said machete, I'll have something to say about that, too. And it won't be very flattering.

Point being, everyone is a distinct individual, and should be judged accordingly and individually.

All I'm going to say is that I think Gets is right, it was a misunderstanding, which happens on a message boards because it is a poor form of communication.

Like I said I wasn't trying to attack you.

lol@some of the sensitivity

PB isn't saying anything that isnt true imo.

Just lost a very good friend two weeks ago to heroin. That stuff is horrible. Don't no why you would even want to but it's just so widespread it's unbelievable.

Terrible drug. As a kid growing up in the '60s and early '70s, there really weren't too many anti-drug programs yet. But even back then, in school they'd drive it through our heads that if you even tried heroin once that you'd be addicted for life.

Now, that's obviously bullshit on par with "Reefer Madness." But their intentions weren't bad, and not nearly as damaging as later programs like "Officer Friendly," which was turned on its ear and used by pedophiles to gain the trust of children.

But I'm off topic again. Heroin is a terrible drug. And if you're young and "experimenting" in what you believe is a recreational way, you should probably stay away from it. Because it will eat you up before it kills you. And even if you end up on a Methadone program, that shit's for life. And it's probably even worse for you because it's so synthetic.

Yeah, I think Heroin is like the last frontier.

If you're into that, you're no longer experimenting.

spot on PB and since the pill mills are being shut down the suburbia kids are flocking to get heroin as opposed to the oxies....you mentioned the junkies and their nod.....in philly you got that nod and the lean...at first you see the junkie walking on the street or nodding in the park and you laugh and point, but it is really sad, terrible addiction....JFK park in philly at times you get those guys on benches that get so fd up they leave the needle in their arm and nod out

When the doctors spend decades passing opiates around like candy then suddenly restrict the supply, what can we expect besides a heroin epidemic?

100% right.....and everyone was making bank off of it at expense of every walk of life and destroying familes through it.....did a ride along with a buddy of mine that is a undercover guy and busted a motel with a zillion pills and shooting it up like heroin.....i was stunned and he was like we will clean up the pill problem but he also acknowledged he was starting to see heroin in places he didnt normally see it with people using it that he wouldn't expect....now you have people mixing heroin with fetanyl which basically kills you instantly

That part about trying h once and being an addict for life isn't exactly off base. Full disclosure I was into opiates in pill form long before I tried h, actually used suboxne and got completely clean off pills and subs but something happened and thought I could be ok and eat a few Vic's bad ove two week later I'm back on full time. Then a few months after that someone brings some h around and the real issue is because you now don't have to shoot it up it's a lot less intimidating. Well anyway did it once and I called the guy less that 5 hour later and bought more and was on it from there without even thinking about a pill again. Now it's been a 3year long battle but I've been clean for a bit now but it really did just take the one time for me. But I was already a pill user for 5 plus year. But I know others who do h recreationally every now and again so it could be just a body chemistry issue. Background started taking Vic's at 17 or 18 year old addict by 19 got clean with Subox at 22 or so took 2 or so years to wean down was completely clean for 8 months and layer again at 24 and since then up until a few months ago I'd been living in h hell.

Good luck Krsheely, that shits tough and it seems a similar story all across the US these days in a similar way that you have described...good luck with your sobriety!!!