“Sneakerhead Kingpins”: Police Bust Heroin Ring That Took Jordans as Payment
Fifteen people have been charged for their criminal involvement in a Long Island heroin syndicate. Authorities claim the ring pulled $30,000 in weekly profits, including Air Jordans that were sometimes taken as payment, the New York Post reports.
The Nassau County District Attorney’s office announced on Tuesday that it had busted the ring, which sold between 13,000 and 26,000 doses of heroin per month and has been tied to 15 overdoses — three of which ended fatally. Interestingly, the syndicate fueled its operation with one unconventional payment method: Jordans.
Authorities made the discovery when they conducted raids at suspects’ apartment in on December 13, where they found 175 pairs of Jordans, $383,000 in cash, and a large stash of heroin valued at $325,000.
Nassau County DA Madeline Singas called the drug syndicate the “largest known heroin trafficking operation” in Nassau County. The pair of sneakerhead kingpins face 25 years to life in prison.
