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Jersey
City, N.J – Twenty-26 people were
arrested today as a part of a multi-agency
case against a drug trafficking organization
that includes some members of the Bloods
street gang. Arrest teams began sweeping
through the Jersey City area before dawn
this morning, executing 18 arrest warrants
and 15 search warrants. The total number
of people arrested in the case is now up
to 46. It was all part of a six-month investigation
dubbed Operation Wetlands, in which federal,
state, county and local agencies targeted
drug distribution activity by one organized
group in Jersey City, which included some
members of the Sex Money Murder (SMM) set
of the Bloods street gang.
Working
side by side, New Jersey State Police detectives
with the Street Gang North Unit, Jersey
City police officers, the Hudson County
Prosecutors Office and Federal DEA agents
began an investigation that revealed that
Dempsey Collins, aka “Da” or
“Demps,” 29 of Bayview Avenue
in Jersey City, controlled a significant
drug distribution network working in the
violence-plagued Greenville section of Jersey
City. Undercover troopers and local officers
made drug purchases and conducted extensive
surveillance to discern the scope, membership
and hierarchy of the distribution network
associated with Dempsey.
Prior
to this mornings sweep, 19 people had been
arrested as a result of Operation Wetlands
and evidence was seized including approximately
32 ounces of PCP, 35 bricks of heroin, a
small amount of marijuana and oxycodone,
two handguns, and over $7000 in cash. The
drugs seized are valued at more than $15,000.
Continued intelligence gathering led to
today’s arrests and the seizure of
further evidence including two more guns,
small quantities of drugs and an estimated
$50,000 in cash.
“We’ve
interrupted some very prolific and violent
criminal careers with these arrests, and
that puts the odds back in favor of the
people in the Greenville community,”
said Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent
of the New Jersey State Police.
“Street
gangs fight each other over their turf,
but Operation Wetlands shows how law enforcement
at every level worked together to rule the
day and arrest those responsible for running
a violent criminal enterprise,” added
Fuentes.
“We
are committed to pursuing targeted investigations
of this type,” said Criminal Justice
Director Stephen J. Taylor. “Through
enhanced intelligence gathering, we are
identifying the gangs and other criminal
networks that are bringing drugs, guns and
violence into our neighborhoods. We will
continue to join with our law enforcement
partners to take down those criminal networks,”
Taylor added.
Operation
Wetlands partners were all part of the Violent
Enterprise Source Targeting (V.E.S.T.) program,
begun by the DEA to dismantle criminal organizations
in New Jersey.
Gerard
P. McAleer, Special Agent in Charge of the
DEA New Jersey Division stated, “Under
the V.E.S.T. initiative, New Jersey law
enforcement agencies are rowing in the same
direction. The multi-agency collaborative
effort combined joint threat assessments,
intelligence, and operations for overall
success.”
“This
represents yet another cooperative multi-agency
effort in Hudson County that resulted in
a successful operation,” said Edward
J. De Fazio, Hudson County Prosecutor.
“In
an urban environment we are cognizant of
the collateral damage caused by guns, gangs
and drugs within our community. Operation
Wetlands stands as an example to the criminal
element of our commitment to work with our
partners in law enforcement in combating
these illegal networks,” said Jersey
City Police Chief Thomas Comey.
Dempsey
has been charged with Racketeering, Leader
of a Narcotics Trafficking Network, conspiracy
and two counts of distribution of narcotics.
He was arrested this morning at 264 Dwight
St. in Jersey City. He will be lodged in
Hudson County Jail in lieu of $350,000 full
cash bail.
The
Division of Criminal Justice will be prosecuting
the charges under DAG Erin Callahan. The
Hudson County Sheriff’s Office offered
valuable assistance with the transport of
the prisoners.
Further
evidence is being thoroughly reviewed and
may result in further charges and additional
arrests.
The
name Operation’s name of Wetlands
was derived from “wet,” which
is a slang term for PCP-laced marijuana
or tobacco; one of the drugs sold by the
network.
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