Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch revealed the massive breakdown of a drug trafficking ring in The Hub on Monday.
Commissioner Tisch said that the drug bust at The Hub included 32 individuals from 5 distinct drug organizations: Prada, Bugatti, Tiktok, Brook and Ghost. Four individuals linked to this organization have been arrested and charged with major drug trafficking charges.
“The Hub” is known to be the commercial area of the South Bronx, bustling with businesses is at the intersection between East 149th Street, Third Avenue, Melrose Avenue and Willis Avenue, bordering the neighborhoods of Melrose and Mott Haven — an epicenter for Fentanyl use.
“This is not something that just started — this has been systemic, and because there wasn’t enough attention paid to it, it deteriorated to this,” Clark said.
Clark said that despite the sweep being a success, “There’s still going to be a demand for the drugs.” Adding that it’s important to provide resources to those in active addiction.
The Bronx District Attorney’s Office and the NYPD Narcotics Borough Bronx Major Case Unit conducted a multi-location search warrant and sweep of operations between June 9th and 11th, with 27 defendants being arrested and arraigned.
During the sweep, officers successfully swept approximately 30 pounds of fentanyl, 12 pounds of crystal methamphetamines, a kilogram of cocaine, five firearms —including one ghost gun and one defaced revolver and about 100K In cash between all 5 drug organizations.
The year and a half investigation started in February 2025 according to Commissioner Tisch, as many community members raised their concerns.
During the announcement, Clark elaborated on the intercepted wiretaps that captured conversations Anthony Cruz “Menor” had with his street worker, as one of the individuals consuming Cruz’s products became ill. Cruz then asked the dealer if the individual was “okay” ordering his street worker to “go home.”
The detective who intercepted that conversation then reported the incident to the 40th precinct, sending an officer to administer narcan —the man was then revived.
Though split into distinct factions (Prada with six members, Bugatti with five members, TikTok with five members, Brook with five members and Ghost with 11 members), the groups strategically avoided open violence to evade police detection, prioritizing keeping their drug operations in business according to Tisch.
Four ringleaders face the severe charge of operating as a major drug trafficker, an offense that carries a maximum potential sentence of life in prison
As for the 27 defendants involved in this case, they are being charged and are also facing varying counts of conspiracy, major narcotics trafficking and criminal sale of a controlled substance.
The drug trafficking ring had operations across the city and four other states, cracking and slowing the sale of narcotics and synthetic opioids.
The drug trafficking ring had operations across the city and four other states, cracking and slowing the sale of narcotics and synthetic opioids. The drug deals alone resulted in the overdose and death of five individuals, according to Clark.
Congressman Ritchie Torres and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and advocates alongside local elected officials to support the sweep were mentioned for their “constant attention to the matter” to make local public safety a top priority.
Tisch emphasized the changes among the South Bronx as she stated that major crime is down 11% in the Bronx through the first 5 months of 2026, dropping 14% in the newly created Patrol Borough Bronx South, while murders decreased 9% borough-wide and 33% in the South Bronx.
In a brief conversation with Bronx Times, Pedro Suarez, Executive Director of Third Avenue Business Improvement District (BID), said that although this is a “milestone” he wants to ensure it has a “lasting impact.”
