The suspects, led by Jonathan Pagan-Vega, 42, are accused of shipping cocaine from Puerto Rico through the U.S. Postal Service.
READING, Pa. — The Berks County District Attorney’s Office announced the arrests of 17 individuals in a major drug trafficking operation.
The investigation, known as Operation Postal Storm, involved members of the Berks County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania State Police, City of Reading Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspectors, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
“This is just another example of the difference [law enforcement officials] are making in stopping this drug trafficking war we face every day,” said District Attorney John Adams.
The suspects, including Jonathan Pagan-Vega, 42, are accused of shipping cocaine and methamphetamines from Puerto Rico using the U.S. Postal Service. Adams estimates that the group shipped up to 3 kilograms of cocaine per week during the duration of the investigation.
“We were able to observe kilos being shipped; we have video from the post office in Puerto Rico,” said Adams.
Lt. Nelson Ortiz added that officials were able to seize 12 guns from the suspects during the operation. Those guns will be tested to see if they were used in any other crime in Berks County.
“They were armed and dangerous, and most of them, if not all, are convicted felons, which they had no business to be possessing firearms to begin with,” said Ortiz.
Police add that the following suspects are still wanted for their involvement in the scheme, including:
Wesley Santiago, 25, Perkiomen Avenue, ReadingEmmanuel Rodriguez-Santos, 39, N. 3rd St, ReadingAbraham Vega-Rodriguez, 40, Chestnut St, ReadingAndres Vazquez, 28, Greenwich St, ReadingRoberto Sandoval Jimenez, 33, Greenwich St, Reading
“We would encourage those individuals to turn themselves in,” said Adams. “If not, we will find them.”
Berks County officials say this is the third major trafficking ring that was caught shipping drugs from Puerto Rico into the area.