DA: Cocaine Kingpins Busted In Suffolk Drug Crackdown

A sprawling cocaine trafficking operation allegedly pumping drugs onto Long Island streets has been dismantled following an eight-month undercover investigation that led to three indictments and the seizure of thousands of bags of cocaine.

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney announced Thursday that Gaspal German Santos, 40, of Lindenhurst, and alleged suppliers Isaul Soto Mejia, 37, of Lindenhurst, and Pawell Cassidy Guzman Jimenez, 37, of North Amityville, face felony drug charges.

Investigators say German Santos sold cocaine to an undercover officer 11 times between March and October.

On June 25, authorities allegedly watched Soto Mejia deliver 200 grams of cocaine in a brown Target shopping bag before German Santos passed it to the undercover officer.

A September transaction allegedly involved an entire kilogram of cocaine supplied by Guzman Jimenez.

The investigation culminated October 2 when authorities raided a Park Place stash house in Amityville.

Inside, investigators recovered multiple kilograms of cocaine, 1,079 bags allegedly packaged for street sales, approximately 15,000 empty glassine bags and $5,538 in cash.

Prosecutors say the operation divided kilograms into individual one-third-gram bags, effectively doubling profits.

A second raid October 8 at German Santos' Lindenhurst residence uncovered another 170 grams of cocaine, $2,072 and a drug ledger.

"These alleged drug dealers were flooding our communities with cocaine, putting countless lives at risk for their own profit," Tierney said.

All three defendants were arraigned October 29.

Soto Mejia and Guzman Jimenez face major trafficker charges carrying potential sentences of 25 years to life.

German Santos faces up to 20 years in prison.

Justice Philip Goglas set bail for each defendant at $2 million cash or $10 million bond, with a $20 million partially secured bond alternative.

All three defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.