Six people have been arrested for allegedly conspiring to distribute large amounts of narcotics across Suffolk County, officials said Friday.
Members of the alleged drug ring, which investigators said spanned from the Bronx to Suffolk County, were arrested following a multi-agency probe led by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s East End Drug Task Force, with assistance from partner agencies such as the DEA and the NYPD, District Attorney Ray Tierney said at a press conference Friday.
On Oct. 30, following a months-long narcotics investigation, law enforcement executed search warrants at homes and vehicles in West Islip, Bay Shore, Wyandanch, Lindenhurst and the Bronx, which were believed to be tied to the conspiracy, Tierney said.
The operation resulted in the seizure of cocaine, heroin, pressed pills and enough fentanyl to kill the entire population of Suffolk County, or about 1.5 million people, according to the DA.
“The defendants in this case allegedly ran a prolific drug distribution operation that flooded our neighborhoods with deadly fentanyl, heroin and cocaine,” Tierney said . “Every kilogram of fentanyl represents 500,000 potential overdose deaths. There was more than enough fentanyl here to kill every man, woman and child in Suffolk County.”
In addition, authorities recovered three pistols along with seven illegal high-capacity magazines — including three drum-style magazines holding 50 rounds each — a shotgun, a rifle and additional ammunition.
The six defendants were identified as 26-year-old John Collado, of West Islip; 33-year-old Anthony Dominguez, of Bay Shore; 26-year-old Michael Torres, of Wyandanch; 35-year-old David Priest, of Ronkonkoma; and 31-year-old Luiggi Peralta, of the Bronx.
They were arraigned before District Court Judge Evan Tanenbaum on Oct. 31 on multiple narcotics and weapons charges, online court records show.