$4 Million in Heroin Seized in Massive Drug Bust

Federal, state and local officers confiscated more than 80 pounds of heroin and arrested 10 people in Washington, DC this week who were involved in a large-scale heroin ring.

The drugs, valued at $4 million, were taken from residences along the Benning Road corridor in southeast Washington.

At a press conference Tuesday, D.C. Police Chief, Cathy Lanier, said the takedown was the result of a joint effort between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in a months-long undercover probe.

During the course of their covert work, police discovered drug operatives in India, Africa, and elsewhere, were allegedly shipping heroin via commercial mail providers. When the heroin arrived in the United States, it was distributed to a number of cities including Washington, D.C., and was subsequently sold along the Benning Road corridor, reports ABC7.

The officers served search warrants at four residences Monday where officers recovered the drugs and made the arrests.

Lanier said the criminals were indicted on narcotics charges and were awaiting initial appearances in U.S. District Court.

Laveita Vaughn, a southeast DC resident who has resided in the Benning Road area for more than 20 years, was not optimistic about the greater impact of the arrests.

“You can bust them, but there's always going to be another person that's going to sell, it's like a continuous cycle,” Vaughn said.  “There's always someone who is going to use and there's always someone who is going to sell because they need to use.