EAST BRONX — City and federal law enforcement officials seized 2 million packets of K2 worth up to $10 million in The Bronx on Wednesday, in a continuation of last week's takedown that saw 10 men indicted for their role in a citywide synthetic marijuana ring, authorities said.
Officers with the NYPD, the Department of Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Administration carried out the recent raid at 2421 Poplar St., police said. It was unclear if they made any arrests.
Members of the ring indicted last week are accused of importing about 1,300 kilograms of K2 from China and then dividing the drug into roughly 260,000 packets that sold for about $5 each at stores throughout the city, according to federal prosecutors.
Aschalew Beyene, a 47-year-old who works with Emmanuel Worship Center across the street from the raid, said he was not surprised.
"They had a van out there all the time. I've always questioned it. It seemed suspicious," Beyene said. "The people didn't look friendly. Sometimes you'd see them on a phone. Sometimes they'd just sit outside or walk around. They were heavyset and looked scary and suspicious."
James Frye, a 31-year-old neighborhood resident, said he was startled by the bust but was pleased it occurred.
"I didn't know this was going on. It's good to get stuff like that away from here," he said. "Shootings happen because of this type of stuff."
