EAST GARFIELD PARK — More than 70 people suspected in contributing to gang-operated drug rings have been arrested after police carried out stings on the North and West sides in the last week, the department said.
Two separate, "entrenched drug operations" — one operating in Uptown and the other in East Garfield Park — were snuffed out recently, after the department's Organized Crime Division acted on a series of community tips and department intelligence, said Chief Anthony Riccio, head of the Organized Crime Division.
The operations were led by local street gangs, and the proceeds of the drug sales went to funding gun purchases and other criminal acts, Riccio said at a press conference in East Garfield Park.
Of the 54 charged with felony narcotics delivery or possession, 46 are documented gang members, Riccio said. Nearly all of them — 49 out of 54 — were on the Police Department's list of the most violent people in Chicago, known as the "strategic subject list," police said.
Seven guns were also confiscated in the busts, police said.
"We're getting the right guys," Riccio said. "These are not the people buying drugs. These guys are hardcore street gang members."
Two businesses believed to be contributing to the drug rings were shut down, police said. The names of the businesses were not revealed.
Targeting these gangs and cutting off their funding source is vital to curbing gun violence, which has spiked dramatically in the first half of 2016, Supt. Eddie Johnson said in a statement.
"The Chicago Police Department will continue to relentlessly target gangs in Chicago that are driving the majority of violence in our communities," Johnson said.
Police targeted the drug rings who were selling heroin laced with fentanyl, which has been causing fatal overdoses in the city, Riccio said.
Officers arrested 16 people in the Uptown sting, police said.
Along with the arrest, Quick Stop at 5000 N. Sheridan Road was shut down after 10 violations of city codes were found in the building. Two buildings in the 1100 block of West Argyle Street were also ticketed for 12 total building violations.
Officers with the department's narcotics unit raided East Garfield Park targets on Friday, including in the 3900 block of West Gladys Avenue and in the 3400 block of West Walnut Street.
Curtis Williams was visiting his mom in the Walnut Street block where a drug ring was uncovered. He said the selling of drugs in the area is rampant, and pretty blatant.
He said drug dealers will commandeer nearby street corners and will harass store owners.
"They tell these owners, 'You just run stuff in there, we run stuff out here,'" Williams said. "These little store owners are just trying to do their job."
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