QUEENS, NY – Following a seven-month undercover operation, officials have dismantled an interstate gun trafficking ring responsible for smuggling over 100 illegal firearms into Queens, New York. Three individuals, indicted on a range of firearms and conspiracy charges, could face up to 25 years in prison.
The operation, resulting in the seizure of 109 firearms including 20 assault weapons, was a combined effort by the Queens District Attorney’s Office and the NYPD. Undercover transactions conducted in a local business parking lot and extensive surveillance culminated in the arrests and the indictment.
The defendants, identified as Ahmed “Taju” Mutalib, Abdul Haruna, and Murtala Haruna, are charged with 575 counts including criminal sale of a firearm, criminal possession of a weapon, conspiracy, and money laundering. The extensive list of charges reflects the magnitude of the trafficking operation, which utilized the Iron Pipeline to transport weapons from the Midwest to New York.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz emphasized the operation’s impact on reducing citywide shootings and the ongoing commitment to closing down the Iron Pipeline. NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban highlighted the perilous work of law enforcement in intercepting these weapons and the importance of such operations in crime prevention.
The operation, named Operation Chainline, featured multiple transactions involving semi-automatic pistols, rifles, shotguns, high-capacity magazines, and ammunition. Surveillance also captured the defendants handling large shipments of weapons, further implicating them in the trafficking network.
The three defendants are scheduled to reappear in court on November 9. The investigation underscores the persistent issue of illegal firearms trafficking and the continuous efforts by law enforcement to combat it.