Law enforcement officials in Washington, D.C., arrested 12 alleged members of a drug trafficking organization known as the “Kennedy Street Crew” (KDY) Tuesday, according to a Department of Justice report.
The members were charged with conspiracy to commit drug trafficking, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession of firearms by persons convicted of a crime, assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to the DOJ report.
KDY allegedly ran drug markets in Northwest Washington, D.C., the report notes. The drug charges against the defendants include distribution of controlled substances such as fentanyl, cocaine base and marijuana.
In 2021, fentanyl accounted for 70,000 overdose deaths, according to The Washington Post.
U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves shared in a press conference over 400 grams of fentanyl and one hundred kilograms of cannabis were seized. (RELATED: Myanmar Authorities Torch $446 Million Worth Of Illegal Drugs, Images Show)
In order to “enforce and protect” KDY’s territory, the group utilized firearms, including fully automatic weapons and methods of intimidation and violence, according to the DOJ report. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 40 firearms
“As alleged in the indictment, the Kennedy Street Crew (KDY) operated over an 11-block stretch, trafficking in large amounts of drugs and firearms and possessing numerous firearms in furtherance of its operations,” Graves said.
US Attorney announces arrests of suspected drug traffickers by @DCPoliceDept @DEAWashingtonDC @ATFWashington @FBIWFO and @IRS_CI https://t.co/WRIWW8w6Q6 pic.twitter.com/oivyMJD4Ay
— U.S. Attorney DC (@USAO_DC) June 27, 2023
“My office, MPD, and our federal law enforcement partners are focused on identifying and rooting out these types of operations: whether it be fentanyl poisonings or the violence that typically accompanies large-scale drug operations, these distribution networks present a substantial threat to our community,” Graves said.