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Read the press release here.

Cops Bust Huge Drug and Gun Ring on Staten Island

By Nicholas Rizzi | August 13, 2013 1:55pm
 A ring of 39 people were arrested this weekend for trafficking drugs around Staten Island, the DA said.
Staten Island Drug and Gun Ring
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ST. GEORGE — A massive gun and drug trafficking ring accused of smuggling drugs from Mexico to Staten Island was busted this weekend, District Attorney Dan Donovan announced on Tuesday.

A 16-month investigation by the NYPD, dubbed “Operation Mayberry,” uncovered six guns, ammunition, more than a kilo of cocaine and a botched murder plot, Donovan said. Another 21 kilos of cocaine were seized in Texas.

Cops arrested 39 suspected gang members.

“These defendants wreaked havoc on Staten Island by committing numerous violent crimes, dealing dangerous drugs and possessing and selling deadly weapons,” Donovan said. “They will now be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

The suspects were mainly based out of Port Richmond, Mariners Harbor, New Brighton and West Brighton, and sold drugs in Heartland Village, West Brighton and Great Kills, Donovan said.

Donovan said they mainly operated a delivery service for the drugs, which included marijuana, coke and crack cocaine.

The crew, which included 25 alleged members of the Bloods, terrorized parts of Staten Island by burglarizing other drug dealers, Donovan said.

It was also involved in several shootings, stealing motorcycles and three botched attempts to murder Lawrence Browning, who was also indicted for running over his would be assailants with his car, Donovan said.

Law enforcement sources said the arrested all had extensive criminal records, and included Clinton James, who was arrested in March for leading cops on a wild chase which left three officers hurt.

Thirty-three of the members were indicted by a grand jury, with charges ranging from conspiring to commit murder, attempted murder and distributing and selling cocaine, Donovan said.