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Release [print
friendly page] DEA-NJ, Newark Police Department, NJ Division of Criminal Justice, APR 25 -- (NEWARK) Gerard P. McAleer, Special Agent in Charge of the New Jersey Division of the DEA, Newark Police Director Garry McCarthy, and Gregory A Paw, Director of the NJ Division of Criminal Justice announced that the DEA, Newark Police Department, NJ Division of Criminal Justice led a multi agency operation of more than 100 federal, state, county, and local law enforcement officers dubbed “King and His Court”. The operation targeted the head of a narcotics ring, 41 year-old Simmied Tutt of Newark, along with 20 other co-conspirators from Newark, Irvington, New York, and Pennsylvania who together commanded and controlled the narcotics trade at the Pennington Court Housing Complex in Newark, New Jersey. Operation King and His Court was the culmination of an 8 month investigation during which police were able to establish the hierarchy within the organization and target those who controlled the violence associated with the drug trade and their day to day operations. Police executed three search warrants and 21 arrest warrants during which a total of 21 people were arrested. The operation was one of several conducted this week. Police have now arrested the main target Simmied Tutt and his second in charge Abdul Oliver, as well as all six of the Pennsylvania distributors and 7 of the 13 Newark players identified during the operation. Gerard P. McAleer, Special Agent in Charge of the New Jersey Division of the DEA stated, “The citizens of Newark that reside in public housing have the commitment of the DEA to rid their neighborhoods of drugs and drug fueled violence.” Newark Police Director Garry McCarthy called the operation the beginning of the end of the narcotics trade at Pennington Court. McCarthy said, “Today’s surgical attack on the mid and upper level drug dealers seizing our community was the first of many fulfillments of a promise to the residents of the City. We will continue to target and arrest those individuals supplying and controlling these drug markets; returning the neighborhoods of this City back to the hard working taxpayers who deserve a safe environment to live and rear their children.” Gregory A Paw, Director of the NJ Division of Criminal Justice concluded, “With these arrests, we are striking a crippling blow against the Grape Street Crips, a violent street gang that has engaged in interstate drug trafficking and has poisoned life at Pennington Court for too long. This eight-month investigation with the Division of Criminal Justice was truly a team effort, reflecting the commitment of the Newark Police Department and City officials to take on gangs, as well as our ongoing partnership with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to target drug distribution by street gangs in New Jersey.” SAC McAleer and Director McCarthy on behalf of Mayor Cory Booker and the citizens of Newark extend a heartfelt expression of gratitude for the assistance of the hard working men and women of the law enforcement community that assisted in this investigation, along with the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, led by Gregory A. Paw; New Jersey State Police, led by Major William Toms; Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, led by Paula T. Dow, Essex County Sheriff’s Department led by Sheriff Armando Fontura, Newark Housing Authority, led by Keith Kinard; as well as the West Hazleton, Pennsylvania Police Department.
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