NYPD: Cartel Kingpin Arrested In $1.3M Drug Bust
NEW YORK (WCBS 880/AP) – New York City police and federal authorities say they brought down a major cocaine cartel in the middle of Times Square.
Seventy-nine pounds of cocaine, that's more than $1 million worth, wrapped in carbon paper for sneaking it past airport security.
WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reports: Officials Say Kingpin Leads Police To More Drug Dealers
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Police say that's what Puerto Rican cartel kingpin Ricardo Gonzales-Santiago had on him when police nabbed him back in March while he was leaving the Paramount Hotel in Times Square.
"This is a huge bust we picked off a major drug kingpin," said special narcotics prosecutor Bridget Brennan. "We know this individual was serving at least four whole sale level dealers of cocaine who were themselves serving dozens of others."
Officials say the kingpin led police to nine more major dealers and five of those dealers were arrested Friday.
Gonzalez-Santiago has been indicted on drug trafficking charges and if convicted, could go to prison for the rest of his life.
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