New York City – Federal authorities have busted a massive drug operation that turned Washington Square Park into a dangerous, open-air drug market for nearly five years. The takedown resulted in 19 arrests, ending what officials described as one of the city’s most brazen narcotics networks, linked to 65 overdoses — including two fatal cases.
Five Years of Open-Air Dealing in the Heart of NYC
According to prosecutors, the group of nearly 20 dealers had transformed the 10-acre park in Greenwich Village into a 24/7 drug bazaar, selling fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine to locals, students, and tourists alike.
The dealers reportedly operated under a loose organization known as “WSP Enterprise,” which coordinated sales and divided the park into territories to avoid conflicts. Authorities say that over the years, the network distributed millions of doses of opioids, fueling widespread addiction and chaos across the neighborhood.
Dozens of Arrests Ignored Before the Crackdown
Federal investigators revealed that members of the ring collectively had over 80 prior drug arrests in the past five years. Despite repeated offenses, many were released due to lenient bail laws, allowing them to return to the park to continue their trade.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton condemned the repeated cycle of release and reoffending, stating:
“New York families want us to use every tool available to get deadly fentanyl off our streets. If you’re selling poison in our parks, we will find you and bring you to justice.”
Gang Connections and Deadly Drug Mixes
Authorities identified two interconnected groups within the operation — one connected to the Mac Ballers, a subset of the Bloods gang, and another working under veteran dealer John Livigni, who has allegedly sold drugs in the park for over 20 years.
Dealers used color-coded bags to mark their product lines, with purple bags linked to a potent mix of fentanyl analogues responsible for the death of an 18-year-old from Colorado in June 2024. The young victim had recently arrived in New York for a Broadway internship and was found dead the next day in his apartment, with a purple bag of drugs by his side.
Long Criminal Records and Familiar Faces
Among those arrested was Maliek “Scarface” Lugg, a Bloods gang member with 13 prior arrests, including seven narcotics-related offenses. Lugg has been in Rikers Island since March on separate state drug charges.
Prosecutors said Lugg’s “purple bag” brand of fentanyl was particularly lethal and connected directly to one of the fatal overdoses.
Other defendants named in the federal indictment include Curtis Miller, Tommy Brown, Christian Cortez, Jared Covington, Nazzir Washington, Vito Haskins, Felix Cuevas, Manny Pina, Andre Bethea, Sean Thom, Bishara Strother, Robert Johnson, Henry Rodriguez, Peter Rodriguez, Daniel Negron, Brandi Felci, and Blake Tannenbaum.
A Park Struggling with Addiction and Crime
For decades, Washington Square Park has had a reputation as a hub for drug activity, but the opioid crisis and COVID-19 pandemic worsened the situation dramatically, as per The Post. The park became littered with needles, drug paraphernalia, and addicts, making it unsafe for families and students from nearby New York University (NYU).
Earlier this year, Mayor Eric Adams launched a special “community coalition” with the NYPD to target rampant drug use and homelessness in the park, marking a turning point in efforts to reclaim the area.
Federal Commitment to Cleanup
Authorities said the arrests mark the beginning of a broader initiative to restore safety and order to one of the city’s most historic public spaces.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch praised the collaboration with federal agencies, saying,
“These traffickers flooded Washington Square Park with deadly narcotics that claimed lives and endangered countless others. This joint effort shows our commitment to cleaning up our city’s parks.”
What do you think about this federal crackdown in New York City?
Should Washington Square Park have more police presence to prevent such open-air drug markets in the future? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
