February 19, 1999

SOUTHEAST QUEENS "OPERATION SMOKESHOP" RESULTS IN ARREST OF 20 SUSPECTS

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown and New York City Police Department officials announced today the arrest of 20 people last night in an ongoing initiative in Southeast Queens aimed at ridding the area of drug trafficking.

District Attorney Brown said, "Last night police officers and detectives assigned to Borough of Queens Narcotics' Southeast Queens Initiative (SEQI) executed a series of 14 search warrants at grocery stores, two restaurant and private residences in Jamaica, Hollis and Laurelton. These premises were all previously identified as drug selling locations and, at the time of the court authorized searches, quantities of marijuana, powdered cocaine, crack cocaine and almost $6,000 in cash were seized. In addition 20 people were arrested and charged with various counts of possession of a controlled substance.

District Attorney Brown continued, "The Southeast Queens Initiative, since its inception some nine months ago, has focused attention on large as well as small scale neighborhood drug operations. So far 161 search warrants for commercial and residential premises have been obtained by Assistant District Attorneys in my office's Narcotics Investigations Bureau and executed by officers assigned to the Initiative. Hundreds of suspected drug dealers have been arrested in stash houses, small crack factories and neighborhood drug spots throughout Southeast Queens. The Initiative has done much to remove the scourge of drugs and the violence that frequently accompanies it from communities like Far Rockaway and Jamaica making those communities safer for the decent citizens who live and work there".

The operation was under the command of Deputy Inspector Denis M. McCarthy under the supervision of Captain Joseph Cordes and coordinated by Sergeant Reginald Robinson of the Southeast Queens Initiative Special Projects Unit which is part of the Narcotics Borough Queens commanded by Inspector Thomas P. Sweeney.

The search warrants were executed at the following locations: 112-04 Farmers Blvd, Hollis (Restaurant); 177-44 Leslie Road, Jamaica; 111-39 130th Street, Jamaica; 107-26 159th Street Apt. 2B, Jamaica, 134-49 234th Street, Basement, Laurelton; 119-16 147th Street, Jamaica; 130-36 Springfield Blvd, Jamaica; 169-04 88th Avenue, Apt. 6D, Jamaica; 105-14 177th Street, Jamaica (Store); 110-44 Merrick Blvd, Jamaica (Restaurant); 91-59 191st Street, Apt. 3E, Hollis; 115-06 Farmers Blvd. Jamaica; 143-45 Springfield Blvd. Jamaica (Store).

Assistant District Attorney Mark L. Katz of District Attorney Brown's Narcotics Investigations Bureau which is under the supervision of Peter A. Crusco and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Robert D. Alexander, is in charge of the case.

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