Operation took 198,000 doses of Heroin/Fentanyl out of Kensington Neighborhood
PHILADELPHIA — Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that his Office arrested 14 individuals and seized 6 kilos of heroin/fentanyl, 2 kilos of cocaine, 5 handguns, one rifle, $200,000 in cash, a kilo press, scales, and packaging equipment in the largest Kensington Initiative operation to date. Today’s law enforcement action is the result of a three-month wiretap investigation into a drug trafficking organization in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. Throughout the investigation, agents prevented three shootings over the course of just a few weeks.
The Kensington Initiative is a unique partnership between with local, state, and federal law enforcement to target major criminal drug organizations in the Kensington neighborhood. Agents executed 20 search warrants Tuesday morning on residences, warehouses, and vehicles believed to be connected to the organization. The ring had ties stretching as far as Allentown to the North and Bucks County to the East. Simultaneous raids were executed in those areas. It is believed that the ringleaders of the organization used children to sell their drugs on street corners.
“Kensington is a neighborhood ravaged by the heroin, opioid, and fentanyl epidemic, and criminal organizations such as the one we shut down today are fueling the crisis,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “While the ringleaders were jetting off to award shows and expensive restaurants, they were also ravaging the lives of those in our community. I’m grateful for the hard work of our law enforcement partners in the Kensington Initiative to shut down this dangerous organization and make our streets safer for the families, children, and seniors who live there.”
Those participating in today’s raids include: Office of Attorney General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Philadelphia Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, PA National Guard Counterdrug Joint Task Force, SEPTA Police, U.S. Postal Inspectors, Pennsylvania State Police, Montgomery County SWAT, Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office, Hatboro Borough Police Department, Whitemarsh Township Police Department, Warrington Police Department, Allentown Police Department, and Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Those arrested today include: Brendan Perez, Jonathan Ramos, Jay Ramos Rosa, Jeffrey Canales Tapia, Jose Fuentes, Richard Brangen, Edgar Perez, Juan Franco Estrada, Victor Lopez, Giavonna Peterson, Luis Arroyo Galarza, Jerry Arroyo, Marin Duran, and Victor Morales.
# # #
