Twenty-nine people face federal or state charges in connection with an alleged oxycodone and heroin ring that operated in the lower Hudson Valley.
In addition to 17 people named in a federal indictment unsealed Wednesday, New York State has charged 12 people in a related prosecution. Authorities say drug activities took place at a trailer park, motels, and Palisades Center Mall parking lots. Rockland County Executive Ed Day, a former police commander, calls the takedown significant.
“Drug dealers aren’t nice people. They often tend to be armed. Nothing good can come from that,” Day says. “And this is a battle to maintain the quality of life for our County of Rockland. And I’m very proud that our law enforcement people and our prosecutors are doing just that.”
Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Zugibe says the dealers sank "to a new low" by working at family-friendly locations. Authorities say participants conspired to distribute more than 50,000 oxycodone tablets, valued at more than $1 million. The alleged activities took place from early 2014 to this month. And, in addition to Rockland officials, the case was announced Wednesday by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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