The FBI charges 33 members of a Philadelphia Weymouth Street drug trafficking organization

The FBI and federal prosecutors on Friday announced a “historic” indictment charging 33 alleged members of a Weymouth Street drug trafficking organization accused of fueling Kensington’s open-air drug market for nearly a decade.

Officials said 24 defendants were arrested in coordinated operations on Friday, eight of whom were already in custody, and one remains at large.

Authorities executed 11 federal search warrants, and the results are still pending.

At a news conference in Philadelphia, FBI Director Kash Patel called the operation a model for recovering violent passages from crews, praising years of cooperation between the FBI, the Philadelphia Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“Today, more criminals are off the streets because of the tireless work of the FBI and our partners,” FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement.

“More than 30 individuals have been charged for their alleged role in drug trafficking and dozens of other crimes. These individuals were charged with distributing fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in one of the most widespread drug groups in Philadelphia. They were members of a violent drug trafficking organization and used violence to establish control over their territory and sell drugs that poisoned the streets of our city and our community. The FBI will continue our work To put an end to drug trafficking. And violence in our cities.”

“This process of removal is how you protect American cities from coast to coast,” Patel said. “We have permanently removed a drug trafficking organization from the streets of Philadelphia.”

US Attorney David Metcalfe said the case centers on the 3100 block of Weymouth Street in Kensington, a wide stretch of the city’s open market. The indictment charges a conspiracy dating from January 2016 through October 2025 involving fentanyl, heroin, crack cocaine and crack cocaine.

“This is a massive drug trafficking conspiracy spanning nearly a decade, and it is the largest federal indictment this century brought by our district,” Metcalf said. “We targeted it like a precision missile at Kensington Centre.”

Metcalfe said 22 defendants were arrested during the raid, while eight detainees will be transferred locally to federal court next week. Agents recovered dozens of firearms and large quantities of drugs from alleged hiding sites; The totals will be detailed in court filings.

Prosecutors said the organization was led by Jose Antonio Morales Nieves, 45, of Luquillo, Puerto Rico, known as “Flaco,” who “essentially owned” the block and charged rent to other dealers; Ramon Roman Montañez, 40, of Philadelphia, known as “Vigo,” who ran daily operations and organized shifts; and Nancy Rios Valentin, 33, of Philadelphia, who also oversaw finances and shift schedules.

The crew allegedly used violence to assert control of their territory including shootings, killings, assaults, and retaliation against witnesses who cooperated with law enforcement.

During the Q&A, officials said no murder or shooting charges have been filed but the investigation is ongoing.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs said the operation used nine tactical teams and involved hundreds of officers.

Most of the arrests occurred in Kensington, while others occurred in Puerto Rico, Delaware and New Jersey.

“For too long, the Weymouth Street drug organization has flooded Kensington with drugs and terrorized residents with horrific acts of violence and intimidation,” Jacobs said. “That day is over.”

He said the FBI will release public safety announcements urging residents to safely share crime-related information.

“Our mission does not end with these arrests,” Jacobs added. “We will stay here and stand with the people of Kensington.”

Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said the case shows the city’s shift to treating open markets as an organized threat to public safety, rather than isolated street dealings.

“We will not apologize for removing people who terrorize our community,” Bethel said. “This is a model that we can continue to run.”

Officials framed the case as part of PSN Recon, an arm of Project Safe Neighborhoods that integrates federal, state and local intelligence to target violent crime offenders individually.

The group meets monthly to identify the most dangerous actors and pursue organization-wide prosecutions rather than one-off weapons or drug cases, Metcalf said.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche added: “Drug traffickers who poison our communities and assert their territory through violence will face the full force of federal law. Working alongside our state and local partners, the Department of Justice will continue to dismantle these criminal networks and restore safety to neighborhoods that have suffered for too long.”

Patel concluded his speech by thanking the investigators and prosecutors who built the case. “You need courageous prosecutors to bring these cases,” he said. “This is exactly how you protect American lives. The blocks belong to the residents, not the drug dealers.”

“For the criminals who are still out there, the next indictment has a space with your name on it,” Metcalfe warned.

All defendants are innocent until proven guilty and the charges are allegations.