Eight people have been arrested as local and federal officers broke up a drug smuggling ring which operated in the Rochester area. The breakup of the ring was linked to the officer-related shooting incident Monday on Burbank Street, which took place during the execution of one of the search warrants.
Police said at a Monday evening news conference that at least one suspect fired at officers who were serving a warrant. Officers returned fire, and two suspects were wounded and taken to the hospital.
That was just one of several warrants served across the city as the eight suspects were charged with distributing large amounts of cocaine which they imported from Puerto Rico. All of the suspects are from Rochester.
Police have been investigating the drug ring since last April when a member of the gang told police its leader wanted to have a possible informant killed.
The raids carried out on Monday seized more than $600,000, six assault rifles, two handguns plus a large amount of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl.