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Operation Triple Play

Three Day Drug Round-Up Nets Dozens of Suspects

Investigators of the Buffalo Police Department Narcotics Intelligence and Vice Enforcement Bureau did spearhead an extensive effort which was geared to penetrate the illegal narcotics trade, specifically in South Buffalo.

This investigation was the brainchild of the administration of the Buffalo Police Department and the Narcotics Squad

The process was long and intensive on manpower, but we feel it certainly was worth the effort required in order to rid the streets of the scourge of illegal drugs. In an area not necessarily known for crime or drug use, investigators discovered a network of illegal marijuana and controlled substances sales.

In the calendar year 2007 the Buffalo Police Department executed 1110 search warrants - a record by far - a pace which kept drug dealers on the run. There is anecdotal information that the streets of Buffalo were "hot" and that it was getting more and more difficult to make illegal purchases.

This initiative was dubbed Operation Triple Play, because it involved three days of rounding up suspected dealers, under a very ambitious schedule. A number of search warrants were executed in addition to the apprehension of defendants who are now charged.

Our concentrated attack was very specific in nature, dedicating our resources on Monday evening to the execution of three, search warrants and the apprehension of six suspects.

Tuesday was again a busy day, in which the SWAT and Narcotics Squad along with several other agencies executed six search warrants, and apprehended seventeen suspects on 9 indictment warrants, 7 arrests on other related charges, and one juvenile who was taken to the Erie County Youth Detention Facility. The youth cannot be identified, due to the age of the minor, however, the juvenile would have been charged with felony level crimes, if the juvenile was over the age of 16.

Wednesday morning was the final culmination of activity for many law enforcement agencies. Early in the day, local, state and federal law enforcement officers fanned out to pick up the remaining suspects, in locations in and around South Buffalo, Lackawanna and Hamburg. Arrests for the day included 19 indictment warrant suspects picked up, and an additional 8 suspects arrested on related charges. A total of five search warrants were executed this morning.

This operation was productive in large part to the great cooperation that the Buffalo Police Department received from all of our allies, from agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, Secret Service, New York State Police including the K-9 and SWAT members, New York State Parole Division, Erie County Sheriff's Office, Erie County District Attorney's Office, City of Lackawanna, town police departments in Amherst, Cheektowaga, Hamburg, Kenmore, Lancaster, Tonawanda, Orchard Park, West Seneca as well as their K-9 dog. We utilized our canine dogs, old reliable Roni, and the two newest members Herc and Conan.

We have charted the Marcus DuPree Narcotics Operation with Marcus DuPree heading up an organized illegal drug operation. Mr. DuPree faces charges of multiple felonies for sales of illegal narcotics on a number of occasions.

The highlights of Operation Triple Play include $35,000.00 cash, fifteen firearms and guns recovered, approximately 35 pounds of marijuana, 3¾ pounds of cocaine and six cars seized.