HAUPPAGUE, N.Y. — Four men have been arrested and a suspected ringleader was still being sought in a California-to-New York cocaine smuggling ring that used luxury vehicles equipped with secret compartments to send drugs and money cross-country, a prosecutor said Wednesday.
The four suspects in custody were arrested last month on Long Island, Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said at a press conference. The men were being held on preliminary charges of possession of a controlled substance, but he said upgraded charges were likely against them — and possibly others involved in distributing the cocaine once it got to Long Island — once the case is presented to a grand jury.
The prosecutor said police seized $3 million worth of cocaine, $900,000 in cash, steroids, money counters and other paraphernalia from several locations. Also seized were eight vehicles, including a Mercedes-Benz and two Cadillac SUVs.
Besides the secret compartments, the ring took extra precautions by placing the vehicles on car carriers ordinarily used by legitimate auto dealers. The car carrier companies weren’t aware that drugs were being shipped inside the vehicles, authorities said.
“To give you an idea of the money generated by this ring,” Spota said, “They were purchasing the cocaine in California for $20,500 per kilo — and then selling it in the streets of Suffolk County for a price approximately five times that amount once the cocaine was cut and prepared for distribution.”
Robert Perticone, 31, of Deer Park pleaded not guilty at his arraignment last month and was being held on $2 million bail. His attorney, Robert Perini, said Perticone was a master plumber with no prior arrest record.
“It is easy to make these types of allegations; it is much more difficult to prove them,” Perini said.
Richard Occhino, 46, of Deer Park was being held on $5 million bail, and Theodore Katsanos, 29, of Bay Shore was held on $750,000 bail. Attorneys for both men didn’t return calls for comment.
Jose Tejada, 33, of West Babylon was held on $250,000 bond, His attorney, David Smith, declined to comment.
Authorities said they were working with law enforcement officials in California to locate the ringleader, identified as William Wright, 33, of Los Angeles. He will be charged with conspiracy when he’s captured, Spota said.
Los Angeles-to-Long Island Cocaine Ring Busted, D.A. Says: MyFoxNY.com
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