May 23, 2007.

WASHINGTON, DC. Metropolitan Police Chief, Cathy L. Lanier, Federal Bureau of Investigation Assistant Director in Charge of the Washington Field Office, Joseph Persichini, and U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Taylor announced today the arrests of 12 individuals in connection with an ongoing investigation into the 4th Street Mob – a known drug ring operating in the District. The arrests followed the return of a 75-count federal indictment that was partially unsealed yesterday that charged 16 individuals with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine within the District of Columbia and the State of Maryland and four additional individuals in related cases.

MPD and FBI, with the assistance of the Prince George’s County Police Department executed a series of arrests and search warrants in the District and Prince George’s County in the early morning hours of May 22, 2007, confiscating several firearms, money and illegal narcotics. The operation stems from a months-long investigation into the cocaine and crack cocaine trafficking activities of the 4th Street Mob in the vicinity of the 4200 and 4300 blocks of 4th Street, Southeast.

Chief Lanier says the investigation and resulting arrests send a clear message. “We are fighting for the safety of our citizens. The Metropolitan Police Department will exhaust every means of law enforcement to get drug dealers off our streets. They will not be tolerated.â€