In­ves­ti­gators Call Buffalo Drug Bust One of Largest in U.S. History

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Millions of dollars worth of drugs either in Western New York or headed to the area are no longer a threat to the region, thanks to a multi-agency effort.

"We have not only stopped a particular drug trafficking organization that trafficked in heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine simultaneously, but we have in fact recovered the largest quantities of drugs ever seized in the United States when you look at these three drug seizures combined," said U.S. Attorney William Hochul.

Hochul said investigators seized a combined 17 kilograms of heroin, 40 kilograms of cocaine, and 8 kilograms of fentanyl.

"Because fentanyl is in fact used in microgram quantities, hundreds if not 200 or 300 hundred million hits of fentanyl is what is represented by just the eight seized kilograms of fentanyl alone," said Hochul.

A South Buffalo home at 98 Folger Street is where 32 kilograms of drugs, including fentanyl and cocaine, were seized. Time Warner Cable News was there in March when the incident was first reported.

"Once the seizure was located there at 98 Folger Street the investigation went beyond that, they identified the source of those actual 32 kilos seized at 98 Folger as Maulana Lucas," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Baumgarten.

Hochul said so far seven people have been arrested in connection with the investigation.

Authorities said Troy Gillon, 41, of Lockport and Darryl Williams, 43, of Williamsville are the main leaders of the organization here in Western New York.

"Through this investigation we were able to take off not mid-level dealers we were able to take off the largest dealers in Western New York distributing to Niagara County, Erie County," said John Flickinger, head of Drug Enforcement Administration.

Hochul said the majority of the drugs were seized in Buffalo, however quantities were also seized in Los Angeles and in Nebraska en-route to the region. Investigators believe the drugs originated with a Mexican organization in California.

Those trafficking the drugs posed as businesses including seafood and produce companies to launder the money back to the West Coast. Investigators say about $13 million in drug proceeds was shipped back over a two-year span.

This seizure is a major win for law enforcement but they said they still have a lot of work to do in their investigation.