Farrell: “… a big dent in that chain …”
MONTICELLO – A coordinated series of raids in Sullivan County last Friday night resulted in 27 arrests.
Dubbed “Operation Checkmate,” the sweep was a joint operation involving State Police, the district attorney and sheriff offices and local police in Monticello, Liberty, and Fallsburg.
State Police Captain Brian Shortall said this is part of an ongoing effort.
“The effort was to take these people off the street so they would stop selling their narcotics in Sullivan County and those efforts will continue; this is not a one-shot deal,” Shortall said.
“This is going to put a big dent in that chain,” said District Attorney James Farrell, referring to the pipeline extending from New York City and northern New Jersey to Sullivan County.
“We want to stop the flow of narcotics onto the streets and we also want to stop the flow of violence that surely follows with respect to this type of behavior,” Farrell said.
Police seized 400 grams of powder cocaine, 100 grams of crack cocaine, 120 bags of heroin, $35,000 in cash, as well as prescription drugs and a shotgun.
At the top of the chain were Raynaldo Moises Sanchez AKA “Moses” and “Twin” and Edward Drayton AKA “Rook,” both identified as operating as a major drug trafficker under New York State Law.
