A Bushwick man was among five individuals arrested for their alleged roles in a drug-trafficking ring in which narcotics were shipped alongside children’s toys in gift-wrapped boxes, prosecutors announced on Wednesday.
Daniel Reyes, 26, of Troutman Street was fingered as a major drug dealer in the illicit operation that had connections as far away as Puerto Rico, according to New York City Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan.
Reyes and four others were snared in a nearly year-long investigation that the NYPD’s Vice Citywide Club Enforcement Unit and the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor launched last September.
The five were variously charged in the 71-count indictment with conspiracy, criminal sale of a controlled substance, criminal possession and attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest.
On 20 occasions, authorities said, suspects sold drugs to undercover officers posing as buyers. During the investigation, they learned that Reyes supplied cocaine, heroin, MDMA (ecstasy) and prescription drugs such as oxycodone and Xanax to Derrick Santana, who allegedly sold them at nightclubs in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Detectives also obtained information about Albert Fortosa, who was described as being “at the top of the supply chain for cocaine” distributed through the ring. Working with another suspect, prosecutors said, Fortosa arranged for the illegal shipment of drugs mailed from Puerto Rico to New York City.
After being arrested on July 2 in Manhattan, police seized from him a mailed package addressed to another individual which contained a gift bag with a stuffed toy Minion and two gift-wrapped boxes covered in “happy birthday” wrapping paper. The boxes were later found to contain a kilogram of cocaine.
Previously, U.S. postal inspectors intercepted other purported birthday presents which were found to contain additional quantities of cocaine.
Reyes was arrested on Aug. 4 and was ordered held without bail.
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