DA: LI drug ring busted
A cross-country cocaine pipeline dried up after 44 pounds of the powder bound for Amityville were seized in California, leading to the indictment of 20 people who acted as drug couriers and distributors, Suffolk and federal officials said yesterday.
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Suffolk Drug Trafficking Ring Busted After Multi-Agency Wiretap Operation
In a sweeping operation led by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Special Investigations Bureau, a major Long Island drug trafficking network was dismantled after a coordinated wiretap uncovered a cross-country cocaine pipeline. Prosecutors announced the indictment of 20 individuals, including six ringleaders, on conspiracy and trafficking charges.
The investigation culminated in a series of raids on June 17, 2014, during which more than 150 law enforcement agentsfrom the Department of Homeland Security and Suffolk County Police executed search warrants at 14 Long Island locations. The takedown followed a five-month wiretap surveillance campaign targeting 16 phone lines.
Items seized included:
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44 pounds of cocaine intended for Amityville
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Almost 9 additional pounds of cocaine from local stash sites
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39 firearms
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Approximately $440,000 in cash
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Vehicles with secret compartments used for drug transport
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The ring, led by Juan Funes and supported by a network of drivers and distributors, moved narcotics from California through Mexico to Suffolk County. Law enforcement uncovered that many of the accused held legitimate jobs — a tactic used to disguise drug revenues.
The wiretap and surveillance operations that ultimately led to these arrests were coordinated by detectives assigned to the Suffolk DA’s Special Investigations Bureau. Notably, one of those detectives now leads Royal Palm Investigations, continuing to deliver high-level investigative services with courtroom-ready evidence for legal professionals across Florida.
This case highlights the power of well-coordinated surveillance and wiretap evidence in dismantling drug networks and securing convictions. It also underscores the value of experience — experience now offered to clients through a licensed private investigation agency.
