Among those charged were Acosta De Vargas, who police said has past arrests for heroin dealing; Jose Castro, who allegedly helped organize the kidnappings; Gabriel Pabon, who police said has past gun arrests; and Javier Rivera, who faced deportation to the Dominican Republic on an earlier offense.Queens-based robbery crew used fake police lights and sirens to pull over and rob drug couriers all over the East Coast, federal investigators said.
If drugs or cash were not in the car, prosecutors said the suspects would kidnap and torture the drivers to tell them where the drugs and cash were stored.Drug Enforcement agents along with New York State Police and NYPD officers made eight arrests. The suspects allegedly helped run the "police impersonation" ring that kidnapped and tortured more than 100 people over the last five years.
Investigators said the suspects used simulated drowning techniques as well as pliers on male victims to learn where and when millions in cash and drugs shipments were being made.U.S. Attorney Benton Campbell said the suspects would conduct surveillance on their victims for weeks at a time. Then the crew would allegedly use fake lights and sirens to pull over the victims' cars and kidnap those inside.
Police said they recovered 20 guns in their raids. The suspects allegedly stole more than $20 million in drugs and $4 million in cash. The stolen drugs were then resold on the streets of New York, prosecutors said.
Agents said the Queens-based ring traveled from Massachusetts to Florida to carry out the robberies.
DEA officials said more arrests are expected in the weeks ahead.
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