New York City Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly
today announced the arrest of 15 individuals as part of "Operation Tombstone."
This investigation focused on a faction of the CRIPS street gang * know as the
M-SET (Money Comes First) * who controlled the drug trade in and around the
General Grant and the Manhattanville housing developments in upper Manhattan.
The arrests were made by officers from the Manhattan Gang Squad with assistance
from Police Service Area 6 as well as members from patrol and the detective
squad from the 26th Precinct.
Police Commissioner Kelly said: "We are
determined to ensure the safety and well-being of public housing residents as
well as all New Yorkers. Recently, we have targeted and arrested drug-dealing
groups operating in public housing in the Bronx and Queens, and now Manhattan.
The New York City Police Department remains deeply committed to this tenet and I
thank all the officers involved for their exceptional work."
The arrested
gang members include a boss, managers and street level dealers. The group sold
crack cocaine and marijuana in amounts costing as little as ten dollars to
single purchases of several hundred dollars. The sales transpired primarily in
the developments' courtyards and stairwells.
Operation Tombstone spawned from the Gang Squad's investigation into four
separate and nonfatal shootings in the vicinity of the General Grant Houses. The
first shooting occurred on May 22, 2004 and that was followed by shootings on
June 19th, August 15th and September 8th. As the Gang Squad linked the violent
incidents, it became clear that these shooting stemmed from the M-SET's goal of
dominating the local drug trade and driving out independent
dealers.
Three search warrants were executed as part of this takedown.
Each warrant focused on a particular apartment in the General Grant Houses. As a
result, officers recovered bags of cocaine, multiple vials of crack and several
hundred dollars.
This investigation is ongoing and more arrests are
expected.
Press Release
| NO. 2005-022
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