The NYPD's narcotics team announced today that it busted a group of allegedly observant Sheepshead Bay drug dealers, a ring that dealt its wares—which included heroin, oxycodone, cocaine and more—in accordance with Shabbat.
The six-month sting—dubbed "Only after Sundown"—resulted in the April arrest of five men, with the indictment handed down today. Among the details that came to light was the group's "strict policy of closing shop in observation of Shabbat," as well as texts that "repeatedly cautioned customers against arriving after sundown on a Friday or before sundown on Saturday." According to prosecutors, they don't roll on Shabbat.
To its credit, the group was very conscientious about alerting its customers to the exact times G-d would allow them to fetch their wares, as it turns out He is apparently fine with illicit drug dealing so long as the day of rest of adequately observed.
On March 29, Eduard Sorin reportedly wrote in a text to a customer that "He said he can't do that but he can give you an 8 for 275 but its only gonna be tomorrow because he is closed for Shabbat. And the safe is locked." On April 12, several men—Jack Zibak, Jack Zaibak, David Gerowitz and Sorin—all allegedly sent out a text blast that noted "We are closing 7:30 on the dot and we will reopen Saturday 8:15 so if u need anything you have 45 mins to get what you want."
Police reportedly seized around 900 glassines of heroin, 335 oxycodone pills, a "small quantity" of cocaine, "additional quantities" of Xanax, Suboxone and Klonopin, plus a sawed-off shotgun and ammunition.
Upon their arrest, the members of the group were each charged multiple counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a weapon, criminally using drug paraphernalia and criminal possession of stolen property.
