On June 18, law enforcement officials in Boston, Massachusetts, conducted raids targeted at taking down one of that city's most influential drug gangs. At a scheduled news conference, officials with the Boston Police Department, the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Boston office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation spoke out about the raids. Authorities say the arrests represent the culmination of efforts to dismantle the so-called "Columbia Point Dawgs"; a street gang police believed to have been the most powerful and largest in the city.
The arrests came on the heels of a grand jury indictment that named 48 members of the group also known as "the Point". At print, police had arrested 41 members named in that indictment with another seven still at large. The U.S. attorney indicated that four key families provided much of the leadership for the street gang. An FBI affidavit claimed that the gang had expanded its drug activity and trafficking operations into New Hampshire and Maine as well as other parts of southern Massachusetts. Officials say that the gang facilitated the sales of heroin, cocaine, crack, and oxycodone in large amounts.
In addition to the alleged drug activity, police say that the organization possessed large numbers of firearms and engaged in turf wars with rival factions that often included violent retaliation.
If you are currently facing serious drug charges in Massachusetts, there are a few things you should know. An indictment for drug charges does not necessarily mean that prosecutors will be able to prove those charges against you. You should also know that you have a right to choose an experienced drug crimes defense attorney to represent you.
Your attorney can accompany you during police interrogations. This can be important because police are often highly skilled at getting defendants to make confessions to crimes they didn't commit or admit to participating in things for which they had little or no involvement. Speaking to police without first consulting with an attorney could potentially result in further charges against you.
Source: WCVB Channel 5- Boston, "Citywide sweep nets 40 on federal gun and drug charges," June 18, 2015