Multiple arrests were made by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in connection with cocaine business that was operational 24/7 for almost two years.
Six men were caught on Monday night, authorities said. They have been identified as Donnell Bruns, Davon Mial, Sekou Simpson, Johnny Perez, Fred Johnson and Aaron Starks. There are two more suspects, Robert Mason and Frayvon Young, who are yet to land in police custody.
Our officers work night and day to keep every NYer safe. Our @NYPDDetectives along with @HSINewYork worked on this case, which led to multiple arrests, halting this drug operation in Midtown.
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) August 10, 2021
Press release: https://t.co/rw9fyLYYqO https://t.co/dyj6kquqrW
According to authorities, the narcotics team had two shifts. From December 2019 to August 2021, they covered nearly all hours of the night and day. Their base was on 43rd Street and Eighth Avenue, reported New York Daily News. One shift was often overseen by Starks while the second was mostly supervised by Perez.
The suspects are said to have netted more than $10,000 per week, according to New York Post.
Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Peter Fitzhugh said, "This crew gave new meaning to the slogan for New York City as the ‘city that never sleeps,’ by allegedly operating a 24-hour drug distribution ring."
A senior law-enforcement official said that the sale of cocaine happened in an area where vulnerable people lived. Sources said that the investigation revealed that the suspects sold hundreds of grams of cocaine. Large sums of money were also found at three of the suspects’ houses. Authorities said that during a period of 11 days in March and April, the men managed to conduct more than 600 hand-to-hand sales.
Manhattan US Attorney Audrey Strauss said, “As alleged, the defendants operated a veritable 24-hour open-air bazaar for the sale of crack cocaine in Times Square." Strauss also recalled the bad days of a "much seedier" Times Square that was not welcoming, and said that they are committed to working with their law enforcement partners to make sure that those days remain a memory.
Police Commissioner Dermot Shea praised his team for their dedicated work to keep the city free from the "scourge of illegal narcotics."
This isn't the first time that Starks was arrested. In January 2020, he was caught in the Times Square area in connection with cocaine business.
The charge that the six suspects face carries a maximum sentence of life behind bars and a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.
