PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — More than a dozen people have been arrested in an alleged drug operation takedown that stretched from Bucks County to North Philly.
Officials have charged 21 people they say were funneling drugs to the Fairhill neighborhood — including Jimmie Torres, who they say ran the operation, and his son Matthew, who would take over in his absence.
“The packaged cocaine was then picked up by Johnny Bartolomey, who brought the packages back to his home in Levittown, Bucks County,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday.
“Bartolomey then transported the cocaine to stash locations throughout Philadelphia. The packages were then moved, primarily by two individuals, to the 5th and Cornwall Street area.”
During the more than year-long investigation, authorities seized 12 kilograms of cocaine, 50 pounds of marijuana, 19 guns and several dirt bikes and ATVs. Matthew is one of 16 people who’ve been arrested so far, officials say his father is still on the run and may be in Puerto Rico.
Philadelphia Deputy Commissioner James Kelly says the seizures add to the more than 400 guns they’ve taken off the street this year that are directly connected to drug dealers and traffickers.
“This is a long game, this drug battle-fight. We have had record seizures this year. Just in our department alone, we have confiscated over $150 million worth of drugs this year, 4.9 million doses of Fentanyl this year, as of August this year,” Kelly said.
He says because of these types of arrests, violence has significantly reduced in Philly neighborhoods like Fairhill and Kensington.
“Innocent people are held hostage in the neighborhoods, or innocent victims in the shootings that transpire — so many of our shootings have resulted in innocent people being shot.”
The investigation is ongoing. Officials are working to arrest the other suspects.