An investigation that began over a year ago in St. Lawrence County culminated Thursday morning with the indictment of 65 people as part of two drug rings in central and upstate New York. Attorney General Letitia James says they trafficked heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine through Onondaga, Oneida, and other counties from sources in New York City and New Jersey. James says surveillance techniques were instrumental in finding those connected to the operation.
“There were two rings involved, and we mentioned the individuals who were in charge of those rings. As a result of that, when we surveilled them, it led to their networks and their contacts. That’s why it increased to 65 individuals being indicted and being arrested.”
James says law enforcement from two dozen agencies were involved in “Operation Central City,” which recovered 4,700 bags of heroin and fentanyl, two kilograms of cocaine, three firearms and $75,000 cash. St. Lawrence Country Sheriff Kevin Wells says this is only one approach to ending the opioid epidemic.
“We all realized that we can’t arrest our way out of this drug issue that we have in our community. But making arrests and getting people into custody that are providing and making profit off this is what we do.”
The epidemic hit Oneida County especially hard last month. Sheriff Robert Maciol issued a warning to the public after they had 21 overdoses and 5 deaths in 10 days due to heroin laced with fentanyl. Attorney General James says the take-down is part of a larger effort to address the crisis.
“That is why we are committed to taking down these operations. Operations that flood our community with dangerous drugs that truly take lives, destroy families, destroy dreams.”
There was an 11 percent increase in opioid overdoses in Onondaga County last year, largely fueled by fentanyl. Of the 101 unintended opioid deaths in 2017, James says 70 involved heroin laced with fentanyl. On the conspiracy counts alone the 65 individuals charged face a minimum of 1 to 3 years in prison, and a maximum of 8 to 25 years if convicted.
