Dozens Charged In East New York Drug Trafficking Ring
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Drugs and violence have plagued the Cypress Hills Houses in East New York.
On Tuesday, the New York City Special Narcotics Prosecutor announced the arrests of 32 people in connection with a drug trafficking ring.
1010 WINS' Juliet Papa reports
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The Fourth of July weekend of violence led to the arrest of a key drug dealer, "where an innocent woman was shot, not killed but shot in the crossfire, she was just an innocent bystander," Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan told 1010 WINS' Juliet Papa.
That dealer, David Vasquez, was arrested late last month. The majority of the other arrests came on August 10.
There have been more than a dozen shootings in past year and a half at the housing project, including two murders.
The eight-month investigation included 27 undercover drug buys, mostly involving crack and heroin, according to Brennan's office.
Brennan said disputes between the Crips and the Bloods crews led to the violence.
"Friction over just personal issues, disputes, and some of it was over the drug trafficking there," Brennan told Papa.
As part of the investigation, 12 apartments were searched for contraband which turned up community guns passed around for use in crimes.
The Cypress Hills Houses are made up of 15 buildings, which house about 3,500 residents.
