On Friday, federal prosecutors and the FBI announced a landmark indictment that targets 33 people linked to the Weymouth Street Drug Trafficking Organization, the group that kept Kensington’s open‑air market running for almost ten years.
The move came after a coordinated raid that saw 24 suspects arrested at once, with 8 already in custody and one still at large. Federal agents served 11 search warrants that uncovered dozens of firearms and large amounts of fentanyl, heroin, crack and cocaine – evidence still under review in court filings.
“This takedown shows how we protect American cities from coast to coast,” FBI Director Kash Patel said during a press conference in Philadelphia. “We have permanently removed a drug‑trafficking organization from the streets of Philadelphia.”
U.S. Attorney David Metcalf described the scheme as a nearly decade‑long conspiracy that stretched back to January 2016. “It’s the largest federal indictment this century brought by our district,” he told reporters. “Our focus was the 3100 block of Weymouth Street, the epicenter of Kensington’s open‑air market.”
The operation used nine tactical teams and involved hundreds of FBI and local law‑enforcement officers. Arrests were made in Kensington and, via travel routes, in Puerto Rico, Delaware and New Jersey. Agents seized weapons and recovered significant quantities of drugs from stash sites, with final totals to appear in court documents.
The alleged leader, Jose Antonio Morales Nieves, 45, of Luquillo, Puerto Rico, was dubbed “Flaco.” He was said to control the block and rent space to other dealers. Ramirez‑Montanez and Nancy Rios‑Valentin, both from Philadelphia, handled day‑to‑day operations and finance.
“Violence was a tool to keep the territory,” Metcalf added. “Shootings, murders and assaults were used to punish anyone who co‑operated with law‑enforcement.” The investigation is still ongoing; no homicide counts have yet been filed.
In a related news brief, the DEA announced a mass bust that ties drug trafficking to the Sinaloa cartel across 23 states. The operation focused on fentanyl and methamphetamine shipments, pointing to a broader network that fed Kensington’s drug supply.
The FBI’s Special Agent in Charge, Wayne Jacobs, highlighted that the case demonstrates how open‑air markets are addressed as organized public‑safety threats, not just isolated street dealing. “We’ll keep these operations running,” Jacobs said, “because the next indictment will have your name on it if you stay on the wrong side of the street.”
Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel echoed the sentiment that the city will stand with residents and will not apologize for removing people who terrorize the community. The effort is part of PSN Recon, a Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative that blends federal, state and local intelligence to target block‑by‑block crime.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The FBI has not yet responded to requests for comment on the case.
Source: Fox News
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