Suffolk cops seize cash, weapons, cars from ‘major trafficker’, DA says

A Queens-to-Suffolk drug pipeline has been plugged and its “stern taskmaster” was one of the 16 people arrested on trafficking charges, the Suffolk district attorney said Tuesday night.

The ringleader, a 35-year-old Jackson Heights man, collected more than $12,000 in cash every three days by bringing heroin and cocaine to Central Islip and Brentwood, “where the drugs were distributed to other ring members for eventual street sales in Ronkonkoma, Islip Terrace, Oakdale, Smithtown and other Suffolk communities,” prosecutors said.

He was charged with operating as a major trafficker.

“During the investigation we learned the head of this drug network was a stern taskmaster who required his sellers to work specific shifts selling heroin from 8 in the morning to midnight every day,” District Attorney Thomas Spota said in a news release Tuesday night announcing the arrests but not identifying those charged.

Prosecutors, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Suffolk police will hold a 12:30 p.m. news conference Wednesday to detail the bust and display a kilo of heroin, drugs, $100,000 in cash, weapons and other drug paraphernalia confiscated under six search warrants. Officials also said they seized nine luxury vehicles, including an Aston Martin, according to Spota’s office.