New York City Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly and Queens Country District Attorney Richard A. Brown announce 12 arrests as the culmination of "Operation Sequel," which targeted a cocaine wholesale distribution ring operating in southeast Queens. This group moved up to 40 kilos in a single shipment and generated profits of millions of dollars a year. Members of the Department's Organized Crime Investigation Division conducted the investigation and made the arrests this morning.

After officers dismantled a cocaine ring in May of 2002, further investigation revealed this second more entrenched operation. Detectives learned about the group from the bottom up. At first becoming familiar
with the low level operatives and following their movements up the chain of command.

Commissioner Kelly said: "This case is a perfect example of how the Department removes the narcotics trade layer by layer. We took down an operation in 2002 which revealed more wrongdoing and our detectives
immediately went to work there. I want to thank all the officers involved for their hard work and the Queens District Attorney and his staff for their help."

In August 2004, officers intercepted a package at a Woodside, Queens apartment. Three arrests were made and officers seized 40 kilos of cocaine and $500,000 in cash. The wholesale value of this amount of cocaine is upwards of $650,000 with a possible street value of $1.2 million.

Technology and physical surveillance allowed officers to figure out the entire operation from the bosses to the couriers. During the investigation, officers got close enough to one of the suspects, Greg Ferguson, known as "Pop," to have a conversation with him about the clothing line he was launching.

Supported by the prosecutors from the Queens District Attorney's Office, members of the Organized Crime Investigation Division built a solid understanding of the entire ring and commenced the takedown. As a result of today's arrests, officers seized approximately $500,000 in cash, 3 kilos of cocaine, five luxury automobiles and 17 handguns.

The investigation is ongoing and more arrests are expected.