Two marijuana rings are shut down in the biggest drug bust in Wayne County history. The bust is called "Operation Grass Roots."
26 people were arrested and charged with selling and possessing marijuana, which amounted to a million dollar a month business.
This investigation began in February. Police targeted two marijuana rings in Wayne, Monroe, and Ontario counties. It spread as far away as Indiana, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Canada.
This all started in Sodus with one man selling drugs to as many as 30 people. Police say he's been doing it for 10 years. The community got sick of it and went to their chief to make it stop. "It's all about your community they're your eyes and ears," said Sodus Police Chief Sharon Purdy.
They wanted Michael Burton out of their small village. That's when Chief Purdy got help from other police departments. But the head of the Wayne County Narcotics Enforcement Team didn't think a small town drug dealer would bring them to 2 major marijuana rings. "Absolutely, by far this is bigger than anything this county has ever seen," said WayneNET Commander Richard Bogan.
150 pounds of pot, 3-dozen guns and a half million dollars in cash. "Instead of taking off morsels of bread we see on our street corners, we went after the bread truck," said Bogan.
Police say a Pittsford man was the ringleader. Jamahl Leonard lived in a quiet neighborhood on Marsh Road. State police say he had people bring the pot down from Canada through an Indian reservation. It was then packaged and sold.
Police only got on Leonard's trail while tracking Burton's drug ring. It wasn't all high tech equipment that helped link the two groups. "Instead of being home sleeping at night, we would get up and go down and clean out the garbage that was put out for the hauler at 3 in the morning and try to find out what we had for contact addresses," said Bogan.
Bogan says where you find guns, you find drugs. That's why this bust cleans up the streets. The US Attorney says they will prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law. "That drug, be it marijuana, cocaine or any drug breeds violence in community. The chiefs know better than anyone what happens when people on drugs with a gun in their possession," said US Attorney Terry Flynn. "This is a direct impact on each and every citizen in villages in towns to maintain the quality of life and their safety," said Bogan.
17 people were arrested in the drug raid Wednesday. All are in custody right now.
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NEWARK POLICE DEPARTMENT
100 East Miller Street
Newark, New York 14513
Emergency 911 Non-Emergency 315-331-3701
Chief Richard Bogan