16 arrested in alleged LI drug ring bust
A drug ring supplying cocaine and marijuana to Long Islanders was busted and the alleged Brentwood mastermind and 15 others were arrested by federal agents and Suffolk County police officers Monday night and Tuesday, authorities said.
Andres Marroquin-Corzo, 19, who federal investigators said had several aliases including "Alex Rodriguez," was the head of the Corzo organization that distributed large quantities of powder cocaine and marijuana throughout Long Island between April 2009 and last month, according to the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
"They were importing cocaine and marijuana into the United States," said ICE special agent James T. Hayes Tuesday. The supply came from abroad, including from Mexico, Hayes said. "Once here, they were also manufacturing crack cocaine and were distributing the cocaine, crack and marijuana in Brentwood, Bay Shore, East Islip, Central Islip and West Babylon."
The ring transported the drugs to "various residences and businesses in Suffolk County, and then further distributed the drugs through meetings in parking lots, homes and vehicles," according to ICE.
Some drug deliveries were arranged by coded phone conversations, where ring members ordered the amount of drugs, set the price of the drugs, and the place and time to do the drug deals, according to ICE.
In the criminal complaint from the U.S. attorney's office, Marroquin-Corzo conducted some transactions at an auto body shop in on West Suffolk Avenue in Central Islip. The owner of the auto shop said that Marroquin-Corzo, whom he knew as Alex Rodriguez, simply rented out a lot at the shop to sell cars.
"He was just a tenant here. He's not associated with my shop at all," said the store owner, who declined to give his name.
In executing search warrants at nine Suffolk County locations, officers recovered about 250 grams of cocaine, more than $100,000 in cash, and drug paraphernalia.
The defendants were scheduled to be arraigned on narcotics conspiracy charges in federal court in Manhattan Tuesday. One additional defendant arrested on charges of drug conspiracy was already in custody on state charges and will be transferred to federal custody.
Calls made to Marroquin-Corzo's family were not answered, and the name of his defense attorney was not immediately available.
'We have to do better' Newsday high school sports editor Gregg Sarra talks about a bench-clearing, parent-involved incident at a Half Hollow Hills West basketball game.
'We have to do better' Newsday high school sports editor Gregg Sarra talks about a bench-clearing, parent-involved incident at a Half Hollow Hills West basketball game.
