![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_4754.jpg\")
<\/a>BRONX DISTRICT ATTORNEY Darcel Clark, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and other officials announce Monday, June 15, 2026 during a press conference at the Office of the Bronx District Attorney in the Concourse section of The Bronx that 32 people have been charged in five indictments with flooding The Hub area of the South Bronx with fentanyl, heroin and other narcotics, making the bustling shopping district an open-air drug market with users injecting deadly drugs on the street in broad daylight.\u00a0Photo by S\u00edle Moloney<\/p>\n
Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced Monday, June 15, that 32 people, named further below, have been charged in five indictments with flooding the Hub area of the South Bronx with fentanyl, heroin and other narcotics. They said four of the defendants are charged with operating as a major trafficker.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Unintentional overdose rates per head of population in The Bronx from illicit drugs are the highest in the City. A breakdown is provided further below from recent years. More to follow.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once a bustling shopping district, as Clark mentioned, the Hub, a South Bronx junction where East 149th Street, Third Avenue and Melrose Avenue meet, has since become an open-air drug market with users frequently seen injecting deadly drugs on the street in broad daylight.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThese defendants allegedly operated in the Hub area, where shoppers, businesses and passersby had to endure flagrant drug dealing at all hours of the day, and where at least five people overdosed from deadly narcotics during that time,\u201d the district attorney said. \u201cThe street dealers and their suppliers are heard on wiretaps speaking about their drug brands, Bugatti, TikTok, Prada, Bad Bunny, being too strong and causing people to \u2018fall down.’\u201d<\/p>\n
She added, \u201cThe residents should not have to live with such diminished quality of life, and we believe there will be a considerable difference now in the Hub.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n For her part, Tisch said, \u201cFor too long, drug dealers have illegally operated at the Bronx Hub, preying on the most vulnerable New Yorkers, and creating a dangerous environment for the entire community. But after a long-term case, NYPD investigators dismantled five drug trafficking rings that were responsible for supplying and distributing narcotics in the Hub, across the city, and throughout four different states.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n She added, \u201cThis is just part of the remarkable public-safety work our officers are doing in the Bronx, which is leading the entire city in crime reduction. Thank you to the NYPD\u2019s Bronx Narcotics Major Case Squad and the Bronx District Attorney\u2019s Office for their commitment to shutting down these criminal organizations and restoring safety to our streets.\u201d<\/p>\n Clark said 27 of the defendants were arrested and arraigned from June 9 through 12, before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Giyang An. She said four alleged suppliers\/leader are charged with operating as a major trafficker. If convicted of that charge, she said they face up to life in prison.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The court heard that three of them, Miguel Santiago, AKA Chance, of the Prada criminal enterprise; Milagros Jimenez, AKA La Vieja, of the Bugatti criminal enterprise; and Luis Castro, AKA Cagua, who is associated with both the Prada and Bugatti criminal enterprises, were detained in custody. Prosecutors said the fourth, Anthony Cruz, AKA Menor, was arrested in Florida on June 12. They said four defendants are still being sought.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n According to the year-long investigation by Narcotics Borough Bronx Major Case Unit and the Bronx DA\u2019s Special Investigations Bureau, the Ghost criminal enterprise operated in The Hub, and the Prada, TikTok, Brook and Bugatti criminal enterprises operated within a few blocks of The Hub, located within the 40th Precinct.<\/p>\n It appears the criminal drug enterprises were using the names of their enterprises as brand names. There is no known connection with those brands or with singer, Bad Bunny. For the avoidance of doubt, Norwood News has asked The Bronx DA\u2019s for a comment on the use of the brand names and will share any updates we receive. We also asked if all the defendants are all residents of the Bronx and will share any updates we receive.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Prosecutors said the investigation traced the deadly narcotics trade from the lowest level to the major supplier. According to the investigation, each criminal enterprise had a supplier who trafficked kilos of fentanyl, a leader, managers, street dealers and runners. They said thousands of glassines of fentanyl were sold.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Clark said each indictment variously charges the defendants with numerous counts of varying degrees of criminal sale of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and conspiracy.<\/p>\n BRONX DISTRICT ATTORNEY Darcel Clark, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and other officials announce Monday, June 15, 2026 during a press conference at the Office of the Bronx District Attorney in the Concourse section of The Bronx that 32 people have been charged in five indictments with flooding The Hub area of the South Bronx with fentanyl, heroin and other narcotics, making the bustling shopping district an open-air drug market with users injecting deadly drugs on the street in broad daylight. Video by S\u00edle Moloney<\/p>\n Prosecutors said twelve search warrants were executed on June 9-11, and nine additional people who were at those locations but not on the indictments were arrested and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. They added that in addition to the fentanyl and methamphetamine recovered, a kilo of cocaine and $100,000 was seized during the searches.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Tisch said two people were currently pending arraignment, three people have been detained in custody, eleven were charged with bail eligible crimes and had bail set, 20 were not charged with bail eligible crimes. In response to a question on the topic, Clark said a deportation order is pending for one of the defendants and one defendant was also previously deported. \u201cThe federal authorities will be dealing with that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Clark added that now that the Hub operations have been shut down, the next step is to deal with the demand and get resources to the people who live with addiction who need help. More to follow.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The NYC health department recently launched a new campaign, entitled \u201cJust in Case<\/a>,\u201d to increase public awareness, particularly in communities where overdose deaths are the highest, of the availability of free naloxone kits, the overdose reversal nasal spray medication. The campaign shows New Yorkers where they can order a naloxone kit by mail for free<\/a>, and sign up for a virtual training.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In May 2026, New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced a $12 million investment to expand access to life-saving recovery services for New Yorkers at risk of overdose. City officials said the funding will support the certification and employment of peer specialists, people with a history of substance-use disorder who help others in recovery, and strengthen direct outreach efforts across the five boroughs. Over four years, the investment is expected to create 500 new peer specialist positions through community-based organizations citywide, city officials said.<\/p>\n In April, two fentanyl mills were busted<\/a> in Belmont and Mt. Eden. In March, Grei Mendez, the Bronx daycare owner of El Divino Ni\u00f1o daycare center on Morris Avenue in Kingsbridge Heights, along with her husband, Felix Herrera Garcia, were each sentenced to 25 years to life for the murder of Nicholas Feliz Dominici<\/a>\u00a0after the one-year-old was fatally poisoned from a fentanyl overdose in Sept 2023 at the now-closed daycare, where a cover fentanyl operation was being run. They were both previously sentenced in federal court last November. \u00a0Both<\/a>\u00a0had previously pleaded\u00a0guilty<\/a>\u00a0in federal court on separate federal charges relating to the incident. Read more\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In January, six men were arrested<\/a> following a drug packaging mill sting operation in which cocaine, cash and fentanyl was seized in the Mt. Eden section of The Bronx.\u00a0 In September 2025, six people were also arrested and charged with running a fentanyl mill<\/a> on Aqueduct Avenue in the University Heights section of The Bronx. In April 2025, a Bronx man was indicted<\/a> for packaging fentanyl in the Inwood section of Northern Manhattan. In December 2024, three people were charged<\/a> with fentanyl and heroin packaging in the Allerton section of The Bronx.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n A summary of the indictments is outlined below. The defendants are deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Bugatti Indictment<\/p>\n Milagros Jimenez, also known as La Vieja<\/p>\n Luis Castro, also known as Cagua<\/p>\n Juna Colon<\/p>\n Alejandro Gonzalez, also known as Alex<\/p>\n Leonides Cruz,<\/p>\n Additional defendant also known as The Girl not yet apprehended<\/p>\n Additional defendant also known as The Boy not yet apprehended<\/p>\n Brook Indictment\u00a0<\/p>\n Elaine Alvarez<\/p>\n Alberto Ocasio, also known as AD<\/p>\n Jose Perez, also known as Viejo<\/p>\n Jorge Acevedo, also known as Pilon<\/p>\n Steven Rivera<\/p>\n Jose Rodriguez<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Prada Indictment\u00a0<\/p>\n Miguel Santiago, also known as Chance<\/p>\n Luis Castro, also known as Cagua<\/p>\n Anibal Colon Torres, also known as Anibal Rolon Torres<\/p>\n Sabriel Lamberty, also known as Heavy<\/p>\n Edwin Cruz<\/p>\n Benevito Silvario Sr.<\/p>\n Benvito Silvario Jr.<\/p>\n Maribel Feal<\/p>\n Raul Moracen, also known as Cuba<\/p>\n Victor Feal, also known as Mano<\/p>\n TikTok Indictment\u00a0<\/p>\n Anthony Cruz, also known as Menor<\/p>\n Julieries Rivera-Colon, also known as Mafia<\/p>\n Jose Martinez, also known as Bory<\/p>\n Angel Melendez<\/p>\n Jose Depaula, also known as Jonsue Depaula, also known as Negro<\/p>\n Felix Castro<\/p>\n Jose Resto<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Ghost Indictment\u00a0<\/p>\n Andy Ramos<\/p>\n Hommy Ortiz, also known as Sniper<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The announcement comes, as reported<\/a>, as citywide crime statistics for May were recently released. While Tisch noted that overall citywide major crime is down, and the new Patrol Borough Bronx South command similarly saw a decrease in year-to-date index crimes in May, conversely, much of the Northwest Bronx precincts (52nd, 50th and 46th) saw a rise in year-to-date crime in several major categories. Norwood News asked the commissioner if she had any comments in that regard.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe crime declines that we have seen generally, in the borough of the Bronx, particularly in the South Bronx, have really been historic across the borough so far this year,\u201d she said in part. \u201cOf course, there are always going to be problem areas, problem precincts, and that\u2019s why we use the CompStat process (NYPD crime data collection tool), and we do deployments of officers to places where we\u2019re seeing crime go up.<\/p>\n The latest crime statistics as of May 31, for the 52nd Precinct, along with those for the 46th and 50th Precincts are attached. Year-to-date crime was up in all three referenced precincts in many major crime categories including murder, rape, robbery and felony assault, compared to the same timeframe last year.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n As\u00a0reported<\/a>, in May, the division of the borough into two distinct north and south patrol commands was implemented, having been first announced<\/a> in February. Patrol Borough Bronx North, headquartered at the 48th Precinct in Belmont, comprises NYPD Precincts 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, and 52, while Patrol Borough Bronx South, headquartered at the 40th Precinct in the South Bronx, comprises NYPD Precincts 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45. Read more about the increase in headcount in each command here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/a>BRONX DISTRICT ATTORNEY Darcel Clark, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and other officials announce Monday, June 15, 2026 during a press conference at the Office of the Bronx District Attorney in the Concourse section of The Bronx that 32 people have been charged in five indictments with flooding The Hub area of the South Bronx with fentanyl, heroin and other narcotics, making the bustling shopping district an open-air drug market with users injecting deadly drugs on the street in broad daylight.\u00a0
Photo by S\u00edle Moloney<\/p>\n<\/a>BRONX DISTRICT ATTORNEY Darcel Clark, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and other officials announce Monday, June 15, 2026 during a press conference at the Office of the Bronx District Attorney in the Concourse section of The Bronx that 32 people have been charged in five indictments with flooding The Hub area of the South Bronx with fentanyl, heroin and other narcotics, making the bustling shopping district an open-air drug market with users injecting deadly drugs on the street in broad daylight. The defendants are listed in the pictured charts.\u00a0
Photo by S\u00edle Moloney<\/p>\n<\/a>TWO PEOPLE CROUCH over and are seen swaying side to side while their arms hang below them, seemingly high, inside 149th Street & 3rd Ave subway station close to The Hub in the South Bronx on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026.\u00a0
Photo by S\u00edle Moloney<\/p>\n<\/a>MAJOR CRIME STATISTICS for the 52nd Precinct for the 28-day period ending May 31, 2026, compared to the same timeframe last year (left), and year-to-date major crime statistics for the 52nd Precinct as of May 31, 2026, compared to last year (right). This precinct covers some or all of Bedford Park, Fordham, Kingsbridge, Norwood, Bronx Park, and University Heights.
Source: NYPD\u00a0 \/ CompStat<\/p>\n<\/a>UNINTENTIONAL OVERDOSE DEATHS citywide in Q3 2025.
Source; NYC health department<\/p>\n<\/a>MAJOR CRIME STATISTICS for the 46th Precinct for the 28-day period ending May 31, 2026, compared to last year (left), and year-to-date major crime statistics for the 46th Precinct as of May 31, 2026, compared to last year (right). This precinct covers some or all of Fordham, University Heights, Morris Heights and Mt. Hope.
Source: NYPD\u00a0 \/ CompStat<\/p>\n<\/a>MAJOR CRIME STATISTICS for the 50th Precinct for the 28-day period ending May 31, 2026, compared to last year (left), and year-to-date major crime statistics for the 50th Precinct as of May 31, 2026, compared to last year (right). This precinct covers some or all of Kingsbridge, Fieldston, Riverdale, Marble Hill, and Spuyten Duyvil.
Source: NYPD \/ CompStat<\/p>\n