Drug ring bust nets 35 arrests

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A raid on the east side breaks up a massive drug ring. Federal, state and local authorities served 44 warrants early Tuesday morning.

The Marion County prosecutor says police have been conducting intense surveillance on the dozens of people involved in this drug ring for the past year.

On Tuesday morning, they decided to take the accused drug dealers off the streets.

Dozens were apprehended, accused of being caught up in a large Indianapolis drug ring. Most are behind bars including the alleged masterminds William Pargo, Robert Howard and Jerry Gates. The prosecutor says the kingpins trafficked hundreds of kilos of cocaine and marijuana worth more than a million dollars.

"We're the 13th largest city in the country, so while sometimes we may think of our city as a smaller town. We're definitely a big city when it comes to crime and drug distribution," Marion County prosecutor Carl Brizzi explained.

Police served warrants at more than 20 homes and businesses including Gates Auto Sales and 26th Street Customs. Brizzi said these businesses were used as fronts so these people could funnel the money through the businesses.

In all, police arrested 35 people. They also confiscated 40 pounds of pot and cocaine, $40,000 in cash, and almost two dozen guns.

During the raid officers also confiscated three tour buses. Prosecutors believe the drug dealers used the buses to haul cocaine and marijuana from Chicago to Indianapolis.

Prosecutor Brizzi said the bust helped block a large pipeline that saturated Indianapolis with drugs, but authorities aren't ready for congratulations yet, "This is significant dent, but certainly not the final chapter."

The prosecutor says more than 40 children living in the raided drug houses were taken into protective custody. More arrests are expected.