Eleven Arrested and Detained in Alleged Heroin Trafficking Operation with Ties to Mexican Drug Cartels

Drugs, Cash, Jewelry, Loaded Firearms, Vehicles Seized in U.S. Attorney, FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force, DEA Drug Task Force Investigation

PROVIDENCE, RI—Eleven individuals were arrested on Thursday and Friday and ordered detained following initial appearances in U.S District Court in Providence, Rhode Island on drug and firearms charges resulting from an eight-month federal law enforcement investigation into the trafficking of heroin into Rhode Island by an alleged Dominican organization with ties to Mexican drug cartels. The investigation is continuing.

The investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Federal Btureau of Investigation (FBI) Safe Streets Gang Task Force, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Drug Task Force, along with the Rhode Island State Police and local law enforcement detectives assigned to the task forces, resulted in the execution of federal search warrants and arrest warrants in Providence, Cranston, North Providence, Pawtucket, and West Warwick, Rhode Island. In addition to the arrests, federal agents and state and local detectives seized more than three kilos of heroin, approximately 200 grams of cocaine, approximately $450,000 in cash, a substantial quantity of high-end jewelry, five firearms (four of them loaded), and 12 vehicles (several of which contained “hides”).

Four of the individuals were arrested on Thursday at a West Warwick residence where agents seized approximately $300,000 in cash, more than two kilos of heroin, nearly ¼ kilo of cocaine, four vehicles, and a substantial quantity of high-end jewelry.

The investigation, arrests, and seizures were announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha; Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Field Office; and Kevin L. Lane, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New England Field Division of the DEA.

United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha commented, “These arrests demonstrate that international drug trafficking organizations have a very long reach. Where there is money to be made, they will operate; Rhode Island is no different in that regard than anywhere else. Yet wherever and whenever they operate, we will hit back, hard. We cannot, and we will not, allow those who would cast a pall over our urban neighborhoods to operate with impunity.”

Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division, added, “Together, with the arrests and seizures attained last week, we have ensured the streets of Rhode Island and elsewhere in New England are less susceptible to the scourge of illegal narcotics—and our community is safer from the violence and crime associated with drug trafficking activity.” DesLauriers added, “From an FBI perspective, this investigation highlights the importance of our collaborative efforts to prevent, detect, and deter crime through the application of our task force model.”

Kevin L. Lane, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New England Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, added, “Our message today is straight-forward. If you traffic heroin in Rhode Island, be prepared to get arrested and inevitably go to prison. We will not allow the streets of our communities to become drug havens. These arrests don’t end our investigations. They open up new avenues of inquiry which we will exploit to pursue and cripple these trafficking organizations. This investigation exemplifies the success of cooperative law enforcement.”

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adi Goldstein and Milind M. Shah.

The FBI’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force consists of agents and law enforcement officers from the FBI; Providence, Cranston, and Woonsocket Police Departments; and the Rhode Island National Guard.

The DEA Drug Task Force consists of agents and law enforcement officers from the DEA, Rhode Island State Police, and the Cranston, East Providence, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, Newport, and Woonsocket Police Departments.

Agents from the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Service and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation also played significant roles in this investigation.