Two of the former Columbia University students busted for selling drugs in the NYPD's Operation Ivy League last year had a very disappointing day in court today. A mean judge decided that alleged drug dealers Jose Perez and Michael Wymbs can't enroll in a pretrial diversion program that would have kept them out of prison (and cleaned their records if they made it through). Another student, Chris Coles, was allowed to enter the program while a fourth's lawyer asked for more time before the judge makes the decision. Meanwhile the pair's lawyers say that the boys are being mistreated by a judge looking to punish some rich kids from a famous school. more ›

After a 15 month investigation, police announced today that they had busted a $1 million cocaine ring which sold predominately on the Upper East Side and East Harlem. Police said the ring was run by Ceferino (Papo) Perez and his wife, Elsie Detres-Perez, out of their Bronx apartment, although maybe it wasn't quite the equal, Jeffersons-esque relationship that may imply. Perez was heard on a wiretap saying, "My wife needs the money so she's willing to do it. You bag up and she seals." Only a truly caring husband would help his wife make ends meet by hiring her to package drugs for him. more ›

How can you tell when you've been slinging drugs for too long on the same corner? When police are able to use Google Maps to identify you. NYPD set up a sting on a drug crew working near the Cooper Park Houses in East Williamsburg yesterday, busting seven dealers including three whose faces were captured in the Google street view. And the police did so in the guise of hipsters. "They were catering to the hipster crowd, among other customers," one law-enforcement source told the Post. more ›

During these times of economic downturn, and with cocaine prices on the rise, what's a drug dealer to do? The NY Post reports that NYC dealers have boosted their profits as they're "increasingly turning to crystal meth to peddle in its place." A DEA special agents tells the paper, "[Dealers] are trying to create a market. [We're] afraid of an epidemic similar to the crack epidemic of the '80s." The department has already taken in 14 kilos of meth this year, as compared to the 4 kilos confiscated during all of 2007. more ›

Two sergeants and a detective were arrested Friday after one was caught on tape providing information on surveillance vehicles to a drug dealer and the other two were caught supplying drugs and cash that they'd stolen from a supposed junkie and then returning it in exchange for information. Sgt. Roosevelt Green was a 12-year-veteran of the NYPD working out of the 62nd Precinct in Brooklyn, who was using a police laptop to run license plate IDs for drug dealer Frank (Big Banana) Wilson. The DEA was tapping Wilson's phone and overheard him discussing federal surveillance vehicles that Wilson suspected were rival dealers. Roosevelt, who was socially acquainted with Wilson (they worked out and played basketball together) accepted athletic gear and clothing in trade for the information. He could face up to ten years in prison. more ›