Major Drug Trafficking Operation Uncovered Near Elementary School

The Department of Justice has revealed that 14 individuals have been charged in connection with a cocaine trafficking ring allegedly operating near an elementary school in Washington, D.C. According to the indictment, these defendants were involved in openly selling drugs, often during daylight hours.

The indictment details that each suspect was linked to the distribution of over 280 grams of cocaine base and 500 grams of cocaine within 1,000 feet of Hendley Elementary School, located in the Washington Highlands area.

During the execution of search warrants, law enforcement seized a significant amount of drugs and weapons: 28 firearms, 2.4 kilograms of crack cocaine, one kilogram of powder cocaine, 29 grams of fentanyl, and 12 pounds of marijuana. The investigation tracked around 165 separate drug deals that dated back to 2024.

Federal prosecutors emphasized that the drugs were often sold in front of children heading to and from school, raising grave concerns about the normalization of drug use among youths.

“Today my office took over a dozen drug traffickers off residential streets,” stated U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “These traffickers showed zero regard for the wellbeing of our community, even selling crack cocaine about 300 feet from an elementary school.” Pirro pledged to pursue significant sentences for anyone who exploits the community.

“This poison is being sold during daylight, close to where our children learn and play,” she added. “Selling cocaine near our kids isn’t just illegal; it endangers our most vulnerable.”

She further noted, “It destroys families and fuels violence in the district that we’ve endured for far too long.”

In a troubling revelation, a photo from the Justice Department depicted a woman buying cocaine while with a 5-year-old girl, a situation Pirro condemned harshly.

“To me, that’s a crime,” she remarked. “It’s one thing to prosecute those selling drugs close to schools, but to bring a child to such a sale is another level entirely.”

Throughout the investigation, authorities documented at least 165 drug transactions. Despite the challenges ahead, Pirro expressed optimism that these arrests would lead to a decrease in drug-related crimes in the impacted D.C. neighborhoods, given the scale of the operation.