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Philadelphia authorities have dismantled a large drug ring operating out of a bogus coffee shop, run mostly by veteran gangsters, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Sunday.
A major takedown, dubbed “Operation Cocaine and Coffee,” was launched and focused primarily on a storefront known as Cumberland Coffee and Snacks, where authorities say the second floor was used to cook and package crack cocaine for street-level distribution.
At least 17 suspected members of the operation were arrested, many of whom the officials described as middle-aged and involved in the drug trade.
Authorities said the gang, allegedly led by Lewis Alexander, 56, has plagued the community for more than a decade and is believed to have links to violent crime.
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At least 17 people were arrested in “Operation Cocaine and Coffee.” (PA Office of the Attorney General)
“Well, today, North Philadelphia’s, the Lewis Alexander drug cartel, they have a new location and it’s inside a correctional facility,” Sunday said.
“Some of the defendants here are in their 50s, 60s and 70s,” he added. “Many of these defendants have been doing this for many years. They have been a danger to society, people and families who just want to live freely without worrying about violence and crime in their daily lives.”
While the raids focused on North Philadelphia, the operation reportedly extended beyond the coffee shop, with officers serving warrants at about 30 locations in Philadelphia, Delaware County and New Jersey.
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“Operation Cocaine and Coffee” targets a fake coffee shop called Cumberland Coffee and Snacks. (PA Office of the Attorney General)
Prosecutors have described the organization as an ongoing phenomenon in the area, with a bar near the barber shop also swept up in the investigation as authorities try to dismantle the ring.
“This criminal organization remains like a weed as families and house owners move in and out of residences in this area,” said Sunday.
The raid resulted in the arrest of 17 people and the seizure of 27 firearms, approximately four kilograms of cocaine, more than 130 kilograms of marijuana, as well as fentanyl, ecstasy and cash, according to officials.
Attorney General Dave Sunday and his law enforcement partners announced the successful takedown of a notorious drug trafficking ring in Philadelphia on Wednesday. (PA Attorney General Dave Sunday/YouTube)
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The defendants face a range of charges, including running a corrupt organization, drug trafficking and possession of illegal firearms.
Alexander is currently being held on $750,000 bail.
