Daniel Hassler, 39, was arrested in April for allegedly running an opioid trafficking operation out of his Suffolk County home for 'several years'
Complaints made by suspicious neighbors allegedly unearthed a sophisticated and several years-long illegal opioid trafficking operation in New York, investigators have revealed.
Daniel Hassler, 39, now faces 19 charges related to the illicit trading of oxycodone pills and the possession of several high-powered prohibited assault rifles, which authorities say they seized from his home in Shirley on April 24.
Suffolk County prosecutors claim police were alerted to Hassler’s reported trafficking ring in March, after several of his neighbors reported seeing vehicles consistently coming and going from outside his home.
Police surveillance of the property on Braybright Drive led officers to believe a drug trafficking operation was in place at the residence - and after raiding them home they reportedly discovered a litany of evidence to support their suspicions.
Police were alerted to Hassler’s 'trafficking ring' in March, after several of his neighbors reported seeing cars consistently coming and going from his home
The indictment against Hassler was revealed by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office on Tuesday, showing Sini standing behind a desk surrounded by the weapons and ammunition said to be found in Hassler’s home
Hassler was reportedly found in possession of 11 grams of oxycodone pills, five scales, a drug ledger, $1,032 in cash and packaging materials 'consistent with drug sales'.
Officers are said to have also discovered 17 long guns, including four assault weapons, 29 high-capacity magazines and more than 30 boxes of ammunition – including AR-15 ‘starfish’ magazine couplers.
According to their theory, prosecutors say Hassler used the arsenal of weapons to ‘protect’ his sordid trade having been robbed several times by rival dealers.
Investigators believe Hassler ‘preyed’ upon individuals with oxycodone prescriptions, offered to buy some of the pills and then sold them on to vulnerable addicts for a profit.
‘That drug business was particularly offensive,’ District Attorney Timothy Sini said.
‘He would prey upon individuals with prescriptions for oxycodone and approach those individuals
