By Eileen Buckley
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Buffalo, NY – The FBI Safe Streets Task Force busted up a drug trafficking ring at two well-known strip clubs. 26 people were arrested in raids.
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Armed with warrants agents raided Rick's Tally-Ho in Cheektowaga and the 24-Karat Solid Gold Club in Hamburg. The raids followed a long-term, multi-agency investigation.
Most of the arrests were in the Buffalo area, including the suspected leader of the drug network, Jay Vellon of the West Side with ties to Puerto Rico. Three arrests occurred in Puerto Rico. That's where authorities believe the heroin originated. Some of managers and strippers at the clubs were arrested. But Robertson says it appears the club owners were not involved.
In 2005, a drug investigation traced a heroin distribution network in Buffalo where the traffickers were cutting the drug with horse tranquilizers. That resulted in several over dose deaths. The traffickers retreated, but recently reorganized, selling at a number of locations including the stripe clubs.