NY Officials Announce Takedown of Gun Trafficking Ring

By Hamodia Staff

Some of the firearms seized in this and other recent gun busts. (Reuvain Borchardt/Hamodia)

NEW YORK – New York officials on Monday announced what they described as a “take down” of a gun trafficking operation, the latest in their attempt to crack down on illegal guns, particularly “ghost guns.”

A 123-count indictment in Queens Supreme Court charges Eduardo Hernandez of Queens, Jose Garcia of Massachusetts, and Euclides Castillo of Florida with trafficking 19 firearms; six high-capacity magazines; and more than 560 grams of cocaine, with a street value of approximately $25,000.

Twelve of the guns were allegedly ghost guns — which are sold in pieces and assembled by the user, do not have serial numbers and are untraceable.

The group allegedly brought the guns from Massachusetts and sold them in Queens and Wetchester.

“Guns are one of the greatest threats to public safety, and we must do all we can to stop the flow of these weapons into our communities,” said Attorney General Letitia James, at a press conference at her office Monday announcing the indictment.

“Ghost guns endanger New Yorkers and carve highways of death in our communities,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams at the press conference. “A number of the ghost guns recovered in this bust contained components from Polymer80 — the largest source of ghost guns used in crimes across the nation — which is why, today, I am repeating my call for the ATF to revoke the federal firearms license of Polymer80.”

According to James’ office, he investigation included “hundreds of hours of physical and covert surveillance, analysis of voluminous electronic evidence, including cellular telephonic communications, and other traditional investigative operations.”

At least some of the guns were purchased by undercover investigators.

Hernandez is currently in custody; Garcia and Castillo are not.

If convicted, Hernandez faces up to 25 years in prison for criminal sale of a firearm in the first degree and up to 20 years in prison for criminal sale of a controlled substance in the first degree. Garcia faces up to 15 years and Castillo faces up to seven years.

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