Wall Street Drug Ring Gave Execs On-Demand Service, Feds Say

WALL STREET, NY — A massive drug trafficking ring that delivered drugs on-demand to Wall Street bankers and New York City advertising executives has been busted, prosecutors said Monday.

Authorities said 16 men had been indicted for links to the Bronx-based trafficking ring and drug delivery service. A six-month long investigation uncovered the operation, which Feds said moved fentanyl, heroin and cocaine from Florida into the city.

In addition to moving fentanyl – a deadly drug that's 50 times more potent than heroin – the ring supplied on-demand delivery of cocaine used recreationally by Manhattan executives.

The 16 men were charged with with various drug trafficking and money laundering crimes. Police, Drug Enforcement Administration agents and investigators with the Bronx District Attorney's office all contributed to the investigation.

The ring's customers included professionals in advertising, real estate and on Wall Street, Feds said.

Photos from the investigation show that some of the drugs were packaged with images of the cartoon characters The Smurfs.

"This transnational drug trafficking crew made the Bronx an epicenter of fentanyl distribution," said DEA special agent James Hunt.

"Through coordinated enforcement on federal, state and local law enforcement levels, 16 traffickers responsible for smuggling heroin, cocaine and six million lethal doses of fentanyl into our city have been arrested."

Investigators seized thousands of dollars in cash, two cars and multiple grams of drugs during the operation. During a Nov. 7 sting, one drug-dealer jumped out of a second-story window of a Manhattan hotel room with $30,000 in cash in an attempt to escape investigators, prosecutors said.

In total, officers collected six kilograms of heroin, three kilograms of cocaine and 12 kilograms of fentanyl.

Image credit: Courtesy of the U.S. DEA