Crime Correspondent

John Virgil Punko and Randy Potts, who were arrested four years ago as part of a $10-million police investigation

John Virgil Punko and Randy Potts, who were arrested four years ago as part of a $10-million police investigation that targeted the East End Hells Angels. “For this I'd sit on Christmas Day,” said B.C. Supreme Court Justice Peter Leask. “This is the get-things-done courtroom.” Punko will be sentenced the week of Jan. 18 and Potts will be sentenced Jan. 25. Last month, Leask dealt a devastating blow to the Crown’s case at the pending drug trial when he ruled the Crown was prohibited from proceeding on criminal-organization charges against two Hells Angels members. Justice Peter Leask granted a defence application that the Crown cannot proceed at trial on charges that allege the East End chapter of the Hells Angels is a criminal organization. The defence argued that a jury at another trial that ended last summer acquitted Potts and Punko of the criminal-organization charges, so they should not be punished twice. Crown prosecutor Martha Devlin Devlin argued that the criminal-organization charges should not be dropped because the judge could not speculate on why the jury came to the verdict it did on the criminal organization charges. The judge agreed with the defence. “My decision is the Crown is estopped from leading evidence that the East End charter Hells Angels is a criminal organization,” he ruled. The Crown plans to appeal the judge’s ruling but is awaiting the judge’s reasons. Potts and Punkoi had faced a total of nine charges at trial, including two that alleged they directed the production and distribution of methamphetamine in association with or for the benefit of a criminal organization, namely the East End charter of the Hells Angels. Punko pleaded guilty Monday to three charges on the indictment (Count 2, 3 and 4) and Potts pleaded guilty to four charges (Count 6, 7, 8 and 9), including two of cocaine trafficking in Surrey and New Westminster. The case marked the third failed prosecution on criminal-organization charges against the Hells Angels arising from the police investigation code-named E-Pandora, which ended in 2005 with the arrest of six Hells Angels and a dozen associates. A 10-month trial ended last July with the jury convicting Potts and Punko on weapons charges. The judge found Potts held the arsenal of weapons for the East End Hells Angels, including grenades, a loaded semi-automatic pistol and three other guns. Potts, 49, was sentenced to a seven years but effectively received a sentence of time served after being granted double credit for four years served in pre-trial custody. Punko, 43, was convicted of the unauthorized possession of a loaded semi-automatic pistol and sentenced to 15 months in jail, plus a consecutive sentence of four years for counselling a police agent to do damage to a Surrey home where Punko was trying to collect a large amount of money from a man. It was effectively a sentence of time served but Punko was recently denied bail by Leask. Potts is free on bail.

John Virgil Punko and Randy Potts, who were arrested four years ago as part of a $10-million police investigation

John Virgil Punko and Randy Potts, who were arrested four years ago as part of a $10-million police investigation that targeted the East End...

Thomas Dewayne Ross of Lincoln was held responsible for the distribution of more than 5 ounces of crack cocaine

Thomas Dewayne Ross of Lincoln was held responsible for the distribution of more than 5 ounces of crack cocaine and at least 1 3/4 ounces of...

second trial of Amy Cooper, who is charged in connection with a drug conspiracy case.

The prosecution and defense needed four hours Monday to pick 14 jurors out of a pool of more than 40.U.S. District Judge Richard Smoak declared a mistrial in Cooper’s first trial in November when the jury declared themselves hopelessly deadlocked. This jury of 14, including two alternates, is made up of eight women and six men. They will have to decide if Cooper, 35, committed a crime during two telephone calls that lasted less than a minute.“This case is about picking up a telephone and making a simple telephone call,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Gayle Littleton said in her opening statement Monday afternoon.Cooper is charged with a single count of using a telephone May 27 to facilitate the crime of distribution, or possession with intent to distribute, a controlled substance. She faces up to four years in prison. She is accused of calling a drug dealer to complete a drug transaction between him and her boyfriend, Dr. Michael Reed. Reed, 55, a former surgeon, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess and distribute cocaine and was sentenced in November to almost five years in prison. He was arrested May 27, along with six other men charged in the conspiracy, after officers served a warrant at his Wild Heron residence. Littleton said Cooper called Hector Melara, who has been charged in the case, and convinced him to wait 10 minutes before coming to her door with a kilo of cocaine. Prosecutors said Cooper needed Melara to wait until her morning guests left, ensuring the “coast would be clear” to make the transaction at the Wild Heron home. Melara testified Cooper was a recreational drug user and bought small amounts of cocaine from him every few weeks. Cooper’s attorney, Jim White, said that while his client was guilty of some things, including buying cocaine, taking the kilo from Melara and being Reed’s girlfriend, she is not guilty of the telephone crime. He told the jury that Cooper’s guests already had left for the morning and Reed had just told her that she was going to pay for and receive $30,000 worth of cocaine. Instead of trying to make the drug transaction go smoother, Cooper needed a few moments to herself to mentally prepare for the situation, White said. <blockquote>“Those calls were absolutely meaningless,” White said. “They didn’t aid and assist a thing.”</blockquote>

second trial of Amy Cooper, who is charged in connection with a drug conspiracy case.

The prosecution and defense needed four hours Monday to pick 14 jurors out of a pool of more than 40.U.S. District Judge Richard Smoak decla...

Man Arrested for Cocaine Stuffed Chicken

Man Arrested for Cocaine Stuffed Chicken A man from Guatemala is under arrest after customs inspectors at Dulles International Airport disco...

Cortez R. Arnold, 22, of Markham pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver

Cortez R. Arnold, 22, of Markham pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and was placed on...

Marcus Gipson had pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges on Sept. 14.

Gipson was arrested on April 3, 2008, at Dan Foley Park and charged with possession of about one pound of crack cocaine. Prosecutors said Va...

35-year-old Filipino is in jail for attempting to smuggle illegal drugs to Peru

35-year-old Filipino is in jail for attempting to smuggle illegal drugs to Peru, the foreign affairs department reported on Friday.The DFA said it received a report from the Philippine Embassy in Santiago, Chile regarding the apprehension of a male Filipino on September 30, 2009."The Filipino national is presently incarcerated at Quencoro Men's Penitentiary at Cusco where he will begin a prison sentence of six years and eight months, including payment of fines, after accepting a plea bargain agreement with the Peruvian authorities," the DFA said in a press statement. Peruvian authorities nabbed the Filipino national at the Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport while trying to smuggle 6.145 kilos of cocaine alkaloid, which were found inside his hand carry baggage. "The Filipino was headed for Lima, Peru and to other intermediary points, with Hanoi, Vietnam as the alleged final destination," the DFA said in a statement. Earlier, two Filipinas were arrested in separate incidents last May and June in Ecuador and Africa for drug trafficking cases."These are seemingly more daring and brazen attempts by drug syndicates in the region to use Filipinos to transport banned substances across international borders," said Philippine Ambassador to Chile, Maria Consuelo Puyat-Reyes.She also stated that the incidents involving Filipino drug mules in Peru and Ecuador are becoming "especially alarming." Likewise, she warned Filipinos traveling to South America "to be wary of drug syndicates enticing travelers to transport illegal drugs, no matter how lucrative the 'handling' fee may appear.

35-year-old Filipino is in jail for attempting to smuggle illegal drugs to Peru

35-year-old Filipino is in jail for attempting to smuggle illegal drugs to Peru, the foreign affairs department reported on Friday.The DFA s...

Alan Edwards and his wife Tina, of Kings Norton, were key players in a sophisticated "carousel" trafficking ring

Alan Edwards and his wife Tina, of Kings Norton, were key players in a sophisticated "carousel" trafficking ring that used the same goods to hide drugs. A shipment of industrial rollers was employed to hide cocaine, cannabis and the potentially deadly cutting agent phenacetin.But their conspiracy unravelled when a Brussels warehouse employee became suspicious of the goods. He secretly marked the shipment and called in the Belgian authorities when it came through again one week later.A search disclosed the rollers contained 20kg of cocaine, 365kg of herbal cannabis and 10kg of phenacetin. Belgian police contacted the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) who launched a surveillance operation to find out where the drugs were headed.Officers looked on as Alan Edwards drove the drugs from Birmingham to Dublin, where Irish police picked up the trail. The international investigation found the rollers were sent back and forth between Holland, where they were filled with drugs, and Dublin, where they were unloaded.A second company, Birmingham-based JBS Transport, was also found to be linked to the drug smuggling operation.Investigators found a consignment of sea scooters and mini-motorbikes that repeatedly travelled between Holland and Dublin concealed cocaine.Edwards and his wife, both aged 50, were found guilty of drugs offences at Birmingham Crown Court today, a Soca spokesman said.Also found guilty were driver John Gilbert, 49, of Birmingham Road, Oldbury, JBS Transport manager Barry Phipps, 46, of Walmley, Sutton Coldfield, and driver David Cullen, 53, of Quinton, Birmingham. The gang will be sentenced at a later date.

Alan Edwards and his wife Tina, of Kings Norton, were key players in a sophisticated "carousel" trafficking ring

Alan Edwards and his wife Tina, of Kings Norton, were key players in a sophisticated "carousel" trafficking ring that used the sam...

Arrested during the search was 36-year-old Javier Martinez and his girlfriend, 35-year-old Valentina Lopez.

Arrested during the search was 36-year-old Javier Martinez and his girlfriend, 35-year-old Valentina Lopez.Both were being held on suspicion...

Frank Lee Grigsby, 36, waived a pre-sentencing report after pleading no contest to drug possession

Frank Lee Grigsby, 36, waived a pre-sentencing report after pleading no contest to drug possession and immediately received the term with cr...

Romell Wilburn, 33, is charged with one count of bringing contraband into a penal institution

Romell Wilburn, 33, is charged with one count of bringing contraband into a penal institution, a felony, according to Cook County State’s Attorney’s office spokesman Andy Conklin.Officials said whoever Romell Wilburn was providing the drugs to may have run out, which is possibly why he was bringing in more. Cook County Sheriff's Office Wilburn, a five-year veteran of the jail, was arrested Monday after a search revealed he was carrying three packages of tobacco laced with marijuana, Conklin said.“He made arrangements between inmates and people on the outside to smuggle in tobacco laced with marijuana,” Conklin said, citing court records. Cook County Sheriff's Dept. spokesman Steve Patterson said Wilburn was assigned to Division 10, a maximum security portion of the jail that houses inmates with psychiatric issues. The department searched the division following Wilburn's arrest, but did not find any drugs. Patterson said whoever Wilburn was providing the drugs to may have run out, which is possibly why he was bringing in more Monday. The department began investigating Wilburn when the internal investigations division received a tip he was bringing the drugs from his car to the jail while on duty, Patterson said. The department set up a surveillance camera and recorded Wilburn going out to his car after his shift began, getting marijuana-laced tobacco and bringing it back in. He was arrested when he re-entered the building, Patterson said. Sheriff's department investigators are working to determine who was paying him for the drugs.

Romell Wilburn, 33, is charged with one count of bringing contraband into a penal institution

Romell Wilburn, 33, is charged with one count of bringing contraband into a penal institution, a felony, according to Cook County State’s At...

Larry G. Baldwin, 61 Charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin

Charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin – a felony offense – were: • Larry G. Baldwin, 61 • Matthew E. Baldwin, 27, Larry’s son; and • Paula Holland, 43 Also arrested during the traffic stop, but charged Five Keyser residents were arrested Thursday afternoon and charged with dealing heroin following a week-long investigation by the Keyser City Police Department and the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation, which was triggered by a citizen tip, culminated early Thursday afternoon in a controlled buy in Keyser. Following that monitored transaction, Keyser Police conducted a traffic stop on St. Cloud Street involving the vehicle in which the alleged drug peddlers were riding. with misdemeanor possession only, was Jared N. Citarelli, 21, of Keyser. Seized during the 2:15 p.m. traffic stop was a small amount of heroin as well as the vehicle itself, a Dodge Neon, because it was involved in the alleged drug transaction. As a result of the traffic stop, law enforcement officers obtained a warrant to search a residence on Limestone Road near Mill Meadow Park. Charged with felony possession with intent to distribute following that operation were: • Mark C. Brant, 38 and • Joletta Rebovich, 42, both also of Keyser. Seized during the raid on Limestone Road was drug paraphernalia, a small amount of U.S. currency and a Dodge van. Following their arrest, the suspects were transported to the Potomac Highlands Regional Jail. Larry Baldwin complained of chest pains during his arrest, and was transported to Potomac Valley Hospital, where he was held overnight in a guarded room. He was transported to the regional jail Friday afternoon. Police credited the citizen who provided the tip with providing information that allowed officers to make the drug arrests. “That started it all,” a Keyser Police spokesman said

Larry G. Baldwin, 61 Charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin

Charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin – a felony offense – were: • Larry G. Baldwin, 61 • Matthew E. Baldwin, 27, Larry’s...

Two foreigners were arrested in Sliema

Two foreigners were arrested in Sliema, on the north east coast of Malta, after one of them was found with cocaine capsules in his stomach, ...

Two foreigners were arrested in Sliema

Two foreigners were arrested in Sliema, on the north east coast of Malta, after one of them was found with cocaine capsules in his stomach, ...

Travis A. Capozzi, 18, of the Town of Tonawanda, and Angel Natal, 30, of Buffalo, were stopped by troopers assigned to the city

Travis A. Capozzi, 18, of the Town of Tonawanda, and Angel Natal, 30, of Buffalo, were stopped by troopers assigned to the city as part of O...

William Ernest Sigley Burns, 63, admitted conspiring to supply both heroin and cocaine while he was employed as the caretaker at St Mark’s Elm Tree Pr

William Ernest Sigley Burns, 63, admitted conspiring to supply both heroin and cocaine while he was employed as the caretaker at St Mark’s E...

police detained four persons in Belgrade on suspicion of drug smuggling

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic today stated that the police detained four persons in Belgrade on suspi...

Stephanie Thomas, 43, was said to have been a naive housewife flattered by the attentions of Matthew Wright, 38, who introduced her to cocaine

Stephanie Thomas, 43, was said to have been a naive housewife flattered by the attentions of Matthew Wright, 38, who introduced her to crime and cocaine soon after they met in January last year. woman was sweet-talked by her boyfriend into smuggling cocaine from Venezuela wrapped up in her bikini bottoms.Seven months later the pair were caught with cocaine worth £80,000 after landing at Manchester Airport after a trip to South America.At the time Wright -- of Alfred Street, Wigan -- was on bail after being caught with £2,000 of forged bank notes after trying to pass one of them off at a Chorley hardware store. He later admitted that he had smuggled the cocaine in a bid to make 'easy money' and had roped Thomas -- of Cameron Place, Wigan -- who has children aged from four to 22, into his scheme.One of the blocks of cocaine was found inside a sock inside a trolley the pair had brought back. The other was found inside a beach bag, concealed by bikini bottoms.Wright paid for the flights out to Venezuela, where Thomas took a 'bad dose' of cocaine and became sick -- meaning the pair missed their original flight home. Later, a dealer's list of customers was found at her address in Wigan, the court heard.The couple had also travelled to Colombia -- famous for its cocaine trade -- before jetting out to Venezuela.Wright admitted his offence but Thomas was found guilty at trial. Sentencing the pair for importing class A drugs, Judge David Hernandez said Wright had taken Thomas with him to give himself a 'veneer of respectability,' while she had 'knowledge' of what he was up to. Wright was sentenced to a total of eight years and eight months for importing cocaine and possessing the forged notes, while Thomas was given four years and six months in jail.Mike O'Grady, of Revenue and Customs said: "There is no excuse for any person to get involved in this illegal and harmful trade. Today, Wright and Thomas are paying the price for their parts in an international criminal network."Working with our law enforcement colleagues both in the UK and abroad sharing intelligence we will take every action to detect, seize and bring those smuggling drugs into the country before the courts. "This is an illegal trade which damages the lives of local people and finances wider criminal organizations."

Stephanie Thomas, 43, was said to have been a naive housewife flattered by the attentions of Matthew Wright, 38, who introduced her to cocaine

Stephanie Thomas, 43, was said to have been a naive housewife flattered by the attentions of Matthew Wright, 38, who introduced her to crime...

ringleader, Brian McCulloch, 39, from Paisley, who was caught on tape boasting that he made £20,000 a day selling the drug

ringleader, Brian McCulloch, 39, from Paisley, who was caught on tape boasting that he made £20,000 a day selling the drug, was jailed for 10 years. The court was told that he was caught when he bought a BMW jeep, which had a police listening device installed inside, from his co-accused Stephen Jamieson. Jamieson, 26, also from Paisley and who was jailed for eight years, used his profits to buy a £115,000 Lamborghini car, an £1,800 dog and three watches together costing £10,315. Steven Caddis, 30, and Gary Caddis were sentenced to six years and five years. The court was told that the men were overheard by police using codewords while discussing buying and selling cocaine, mentioning prices that ran into tens of thousands of pounds. Strathclyde Police searched 171 houses and questioned 146 people. Officers have so far seized drugs and drug-related material worth £8.8 million, £445,000 in cash, two Mac-10 machineguns and an assortment of sawn-off shotguns, rifles, handguns and ammunition. They also took three Range Rovers, one BMW X5, one BMW X3, one Lexus and one Porsche Cayenne, as well as five Rolex watches, two Cartier watches and one Breitling watch. At an earlier hearing all four men admitted dealing cocaine. Jamieson also pleaded guilty to money laundering. Judge Lord Pentland said the sentences reflected “society’s condemnation” of the activities of gangs such as McCulloch’s. He told him: “It is a trade which wreaks so much misery on its users and their families. It is clear that you were one of those particularly concerned with organising and running an extensive criminal scheme involving large amounts of cocaine. The quantities and values of the drugs involved were substantial.” The judge commended the police for their “skill and diligence” in bringing the gang to justice.

ringleader, Brian McCulloch, 39, from Paisley, who was caught on tape boasting that he made £20,000 a day selling the drug

ringleader, Brian McCulloch, 39, from Paisley, who was caught on tape boasting that he made £20,000 a day selling the drug, was jailed for 1...

indictment charging Eric McPeters, Dean Moya and Richard Vickery with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine

indictment charging Eric McPeters, Dean Moya and Richard Vickery with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. All three m...

18-year-old Shea (shay) Fraser,Judge Fraser's daughter was taken into custody Tuesday

Judge Fraser's daughter was taken into custody Tuesday in Marysville in central Ohio and charged with two counts of trafficking in heroi...

Arrested Charles Edward Smith, 32, after a reverse purchase of drugs at a hotel

Arrested Charles Edward Smith, 32, after a reverse purchase of drugs at a hotel and brief foot pursuit in July 2008. Prosecutors said deputi...

Eight people have been arrested by the national police in Tenerife on charges of trafficking 800 grams of cocaine

Eight people have been arrested by the national police in Tenerife on charges of trafficking 800 grams of cocaine worth around 46,000 euros....

John W. Bradberry, 39, of York, York County; and Terrance D. Pemberton, 39, of Harrisburg; were stopped last Friday

John W. Bradberry, 39, of York, York County; and Terrance D. Pemberton, 39, of Harrisburg; were stopped last Friday around 12:20 a.m. around...

Kevin Thomas, 47, of Route 52, was convicted Thursday of criminal sale of a controlled substance

Kevin Thomas, 47, of Route 52, was convicted Thursday of criminal sale of a controlled substance, a felony, following a jury trial in Ulster...

extradition request for Christopher "Dudus" Coke

extradition request for Christopher "Dudus" Coke in August, has so far only responded with requests for more information about the gun and drug trafficking charges against the reputed gang leader.Coke, identified by the U.S. Justice Department as one of the world's most dangerous drug kingpins, allegedly controls a band of gunmen inside Tivoli Gardens, a barricaded neighborhood of Kingston, the capital of Jamaica and a city with one of the highest homicide rates in the Western Hemisphere.U.S. authorities are voicing frustration that Jamaica is not moving more quickly to honor a mutual extradition treaty."The U.S. government is looking forward to the Jamaican government respecting their obligations under the treaty," Patricia Attkisson, spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Kingston, said Thursday.The political opposition has also criticized the government for putting Jamaica into what it calls a standoff over Coke, who is known for his loyalty to the Jamaica Labor Party. Island gangs have loose affiliations with both major parties — a legacy of the 1970s, when political factions provided the guns to intimidate rivals."The cascading effect of international reaction to the administration's inaction could lead ultimately to Jamaica being labeled and declared a 'rogue state,' with lasting adverse implications for our people," said Peter Bunting, a lawmaker with the opposition People's National Party.A government spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.

extradition request for Christopher "Dudus" Coke

extradition request for Christopher "Dudus" Coke in August, has so far only responded with requests for more information about the...

Adrian Mosley, 39, and Anissa Mosley, 41, appeared on Thursday in a Beaumont federal courtroom, where they were formally charged with drug possession

Adrian Mosley, 39, and Anissa Mosley, 41, appeared on Thursday in a Beaumont federal courtroom, where they were formally charged with drug p...

Michael Shawcross, 26, was stopped by officers from the UK Border Agency at Heathrow Airport as he stepped off a flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil

Michael Shawcross, 26, was stopped by officers from the UK Border Agency at Heathrow Airport as he stepped off a flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil, in September. He had been backpacking in South America before heading back to the UK.Shawcross, of Lower House Lane, Norris Green, was interviewed by officers from HM Revenue and Customs as investigators carried out tests on his rucksack and sleeping bag.Isleworth crown court heard the drugs had been washed with a liquid which was then impregnated into the lining of the bags.The 4kgs of 100% proof cocaine would be worth nearly £900,000 on the streets, HMRC said.On September 5, Shawcross pleaded guilty to trying to smuggle the drugs and he was sentenced to eight years behind bars, with a travel restriction order for three years after his release.Peter Avery, Assistant Director of HMRC Criminal Investigations, said: "We will continue to work closely with our UK Border Agency colleagues to detect and seize drugs smuggled into the UK and prosecute those involved."

Michael Shawcross, 26, was stopped by officers from the UK Border Agency at Heathrow Airport as he stepped off a flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil

Michael Shawcross, 26, was stopped by officers from the UK Border Agency at Heathrow Airport as he stepped off a flight from Sao Paulo, Braz...

Charged 30-year-old Eric Wayne McPeters, 40-year-old Dean Bryan Moya and 31-year-old Richard Allen Vickery of Hemet, Calif

Charged 30-year-old Eric Wayne McPeters, 40-year-old Dean Bryan Moya and 31-year-old Richard Allen Vickery of Hemet, Calif., with one count ...

33-year-old Bum Gu Kim and other members of his ring would buy cocaine from a source in Arizona and drive it up to Buffalo, N.Y.,

33-year-old Bum Gu Kim and other members of his ring would buy cocaine from a source in Arizona and drive it up to Buffalo, N.Y., where they crossed the border into Canada, Kim admitted. While in Canada, they would exchange the cocaine for Ecstasy and bring it back to Maryland, where they sold it wholesale to area drug dealers. The cocaine was allegedly purchased from Leonardo Aldana, an Arizona man who is currently awaiting sentencing after being convicted of distributing cocaine and methamphetamine. After listening to a phone conversation between Kim and a co-conspirator in June 2007, federal agents followed Kim to a parking lot near Arundel Mills Mall, where they watched him sell drugs to another person, court documents said. When agents attempted to pull the customer over, the customer fled and tossed 4,800 Ecstasy pills out his window. When the pills were tested in a federal lab, authorities say they found MDMA -- the chemical compound in Ecstasy -- and methamphetamine, more commonly known as speed. Prosecutors said they believed Kim distributed more than 400 pounds of Ecstasy because of the number of deals they overheard him arranging from taps on his cell phone. Kim was eventually arrested after the Internal Revenue Service linked him to the money-laundering scheme, court documents said. Kim would take the cash proceeds of from selling the Ecstasy and use it to pay off credit advances taken out at casinos in Buffalo and Ontario, Canada. He pleaded guilty to the drug distribution charge and money laundering in October 2008, court records show, nearly a year after federal authorities brought his drug-trafficking scheme to a halt. "Money laundering is not a victimless crime, said IRS Special Agent C. Andre Martin. "The underground, untaxed economy harms the nation's economic strength."

33-year-old Bum Gu Kim and other members of his ring would buy cocaine from a source in Arizona and drive it up to Buffalo, N.Y.,

33-year-old Bum Gu Kim and other members of his ring would buy cocaine from a source in Arizona and drive it up to Buffalo, N.Y., where they...