A husband and wife from Bay Ridge – Mario Frias and Victoria Rivera – and their cousin, Francisco Frias, of Sunset Park, were indicted along with Rafael Velasquez, of Staten Island on Monday, April 27 in connection with a cocaine delivery service operating in Downtown Brooklyn.
“This alleged cocaine delivery ring had the audacity to sell crack cocaine right in the middle of the day and within the shadows of our courts,” said District Attorney Ken Thompson. “Thanks to the efforts of the NYPD and my prosecutors, they are closed for business and will now be prosecuted in those same courts.”
According to the DA’s office, the foursome, ages 35 and under, shared a cellphone and would receive daily orders for “cocaine or crack cocaine” to be delivered to an agreed-upon location for cash.
“Illegal narcotics, whether sold on the street or delivered to someone’s home, erode the quality of life in our neighborhoods,” said Police Commissioner William Bratton.
Thompson said that the investigation was conducted using undercover officers along with video, wiretap surveillance, and a GPS tracking device – placed on the Toyota Prius allegedly being used to make the deliveries. Allegedly, the ring filled about 25 orders per day between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. to more than 100 repeat customers.
The defendants were arrested on Wednesday, April 1 after search warrants led police to discover over one and a half kilos of cocaine hidden in the bathroom of the Bay Ridge apartment the husband and wife share.
The one and a half kilos, along with additional cocaine found in the Prius, have a street value of up to $200,000 according to Thompson’s office.
The defendants, variously charged in a 114-count indictment, could face 15 years to life in prison.
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