NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 11: New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference, June 11, 2019 in New York City. James announced that New York, California, and seven other states have filed a lawsuit seeking to block the proposed merger between Sprint and T-Mobile. James said that the merger would deprive customers of the benefits of competition and potentially drive up prices for cellphone service. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
A two-year investigation into two drug rings that distributed cocaine around central New York led to charges Wednesday against 78 people, according to state Attorney General Letitia James.
Defendants face charges that include operating as a major trafficker and criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance. Authorities also seized 32 kilograms of cocaine, 117 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl, more than $490,000 and 15 firearms, according to indictments unsealed in Onondaga County Court in Syracuse.
One of the rings sold drugs in the central New York counties of Onondaga, Madison and Oswego and the second operated in Onondaga, Oswego, Oneida, Cortland and Westchester counties as well as New York City, according to James.
“As Syracuse continues to experience record-high levels of violence, today, we make good on our commitment to protecting our communities by taking these dangerous guns and drugs off our streets," James said in a prepared release.
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The AG's Organized Crime Task Force conducted the investigation with the Oneida/Madison County Drug Task Force and worked with other law enforcement agencies.
