VIDEO: Seven Arrested in Alleged $1 Million Drug Ring

Authorities say they have taken out an alleged drug ring that smuggled over 400 pounds of marijuana into the city last year, with a street value estimated at over a million dollars. 

Seven were arrested in simultaneous late night raids in the city Wednesday night, in which police recovered thousands of dollars in cash, semi-automatic weapons, a Kevlar vest and pounds of marijuana.

The raids were the culmination of a six-month investigation by the Middlesex District Attorney's Office, Malden Police and US Postal Inspectors.

In total, nine search warrants were served. 

The Ring

Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone and officers at the conference said the ring was operated by the so-called "Maplewood Group" or "Operation", though the group is also commonly known as the "Maplewood Gang". 

Authorities said they suspected the group was involved in interstate drug trafficking, and started a inter-agency investigation last October.

Later that month, postal police said they intercepted a package intended for the organization that contained more than 12 pounds of marijuana. Police said they would later identify 50 such packages en route to the group. 

Leone said investigators had also secured wiretap warrants for the investigation. 

Saturday, postal police reportedly seized another shipment en route to the organization, prompting alleged member Reginald Miller to reportedly break into the home of a neighbor he mistakenly believed had stolen the drugs.

Miller was then arrested and charged with breaking and entering. 

"Thank you a thousand times" 

"Thank you a thousand times," Malden Mayor Gary Christenson told detectives who joined him on-stage at a Thursday press conference. 

"Our community has been held captive to gun violence during the past year, and thankfully...law enforcement officials have stepped forward to save our city and restore hope." 

Off-camera, Christenson remained visibly thankful to Leone. 

"You kept your promise," he said. 

Malden Police Captain John Amirault approached reporters to volunteer praise for Christenson's coordination of the investigation. 

"When he first came into office...he asked what the problem was," Amirault said. "We told him what the problem was - we knew what the problem was - (but) we just didn't have (the ability) to run this level of investigation. 

"But, (Christenson) reached out to the attorney general's office and started this ball rolling." 

Suspects:

• Dat Tran, 23, of Malden was charged with alleged possession of ammunition as an Armed Career Criminal, drug trafficking over 100 pounds of marijuana, and conspiracy to traffic over 100 pounds of marijuana. Tran was held on $100,000 cash bail.

• Reginald Miller, 20 of Malden was arrested Saturday on charges of alleged breaking and entering daytime for a felony and will face additional charges of being an Armed Career Criminal, trafficking marijuana over 100 pounds, conspiracy to traffic over 100 pounds of marijuana, possession of a large capacity weapon, possession of a firearm during the commission of felony, possession of ammunition, and wanton destruction property.  Miller was held without bail on the breaking and entering charges.

• Daniel Knight, 23, of Malden was charged with alleged possession of firearm as an Armed Career Criminal, possession of ammunition, possession with intent to distribute a class B drug (oxycodone) subsequent offense, possession of a firearm for a felony.  He was held on $100,000 cash bail.

• Terrell Rollin-Sutton, 20, of Malden was charged with alleged possession of a large capacity weapon, possession a large capacity magazine, breaking and entering in the daytime with intent to commit felony, conspiracy for breaking and entering, and wanton destruction of property. He was held on $50,000 cash bail.

• Joshua Joyner, 21, of Malden was charged with alleged trafficking marijuana over 100 pounds and conspiracy to traffic marijuana over 100 pounds. He was held on $25,000 cash bail.

• Brendan Joyner, 20, of Malden was charged with alleged possession of firearm with a defaced serial number, possession of ammunition, and possession of a class B drug. He was held on $20,000.

• Deandre West, 21, of Malden was charged with alleged breaking and entering daytime for a felony, conspiracy to commit breaking and entering, and wanton destruction of property.  He was held on $5,000 cash bail.

Seized Evidence: 

• A 9 mm TEC-9 assault weapon
• .44 Magnum revolver
• .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol
• .40 caliber Glock semi-automatic pistol
• .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol
• Kel-Tec semi-automatic pistol
• Large quantities of ammunition
• Illegal large capacity magazines
• Several (pound) bags of Marijuana
• Drug packaging materials and digital scales
• Cash
• Bullet proof vest