Investigators seized 21 firearms, more than 10,000 bags of heroin in fentanyl and 10 ounces of cocaine in a two-month investigation that resulted in 16 arrests of Atlantic County residents.
Kenneth Burrell, 39, of Egg Harbor City, allegedly led the organization, which trafficked illegal drugs and firearms in Pleasantville and Egg Harbor City.
He was arrested in another drug raid in 2015, just six months after he was released from a prison, where he served 2½ years on drug charges.
The arrests allegedly disrupted a gun-trafficking supply chain that originated in the southern part of the country. Some of the arrests were made in Georgia.
Various raids were made over the past couple of days, beginning 4 a.m. Thursday, with municipal, county, state and federal agencies, including Galloway Township and Pleasantville police.
Many residents had been asking about the ongoing raids, which saw SWAT teams from Atlantic County, Atlantic City and the FBI busting down doors, witnesses said.
Burrell is charged with 16 counts, including being the leader of narcotics-trafficking network and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
Also arrested were:
Tyson Nieves, 25; Scott Dorn, 18; Leonard Allen, 26; Brian Foster, 19; Hiram Matos-Aviles, 20; Rodney Cline Jr., 34; Umar Salahuddin, 25; Catoby Collier, 40, and Dawayne Fleming, 40, all of Egg Harbor City.
Timothy Davis, 19; Samuel Davis Jr., 22; and Sarah Davis, 22, all of Mullica.
Tariek Mack, 27, of Galloway Township, Isaiah Cooper, 27, of Pleasantville, and Joshua Sims, 18, of Augusta, Georgia.
The three Davises, Matos-Aviles, Cline and Mack were all released on summonses. Sims is jailed in Georgia, awaiting extradition.
The other nine are in the Atlantic County Justice Facility at least until their first appearances before a judge. The state then could move to have detainment hearings to keep them held until trial.
