The Essex/Federal Gang Suppression Partnership made the new arrests in recent days in East Orange and Newark, but it still has not tracked down the ring's alleged leader, Maurice Gaskins, 26, of East Orange, authorities said.
Picked up in a series of raids last week were Tuqran Clemons, 34, of East Orange, Shantaya McTerrell, 24, of Newark, Jihad Waiters, 28, of East Orange, Hassan Bellamy, 25, of East Orange and Raheem Williams, 24, of Newark.
In making the arrests, investigators seized some 300 Percocet pills and 25 Oxycontin pills along with $211 in cash, said Detective Dante Pasquale of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. Operation Medicine Boyz, a 12-month undercover operation, closed down a conspiracy in which "runners" were dispatched to the area of Broad Street and Branford Place to purchase prescription drugs -- Oxycontin, Percocet and Tussionex -- from Medicaid recipients in exchange for cash or heroin, Pasquale said.
The ring would then sell the pills to recreational drug users at a high markup, as much as $45 a pill, authorities said. The tablets cost $18 to $22 in the pharmacy.
The first round of Operation Medicine Boyz yielded the arrests of George Coleman, 38, of East Orange, Jason Evans, 32 of Newark, Barry Williams, 52, of Newark, Mahajir Salaam, 23, of Newark and Lonnie Miller, 38, of Newark.
Investigators still are hunting for Gaskins and Kassan Bellamy, 25, of East Orange, who is Hassan's brother.
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