8 men charged in drug raid in Delaware County, Pennsylvania – NBC10 Philadelphia

Eight men are in custody and police are searching for a ninth suspect after investigators uncovered a major drug trafficking ring in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

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Baruti Mills, 46, of Upland, Pennsylvania, Leo Davis, 47, of Chester, Pennsylvania, Gregory Young, 52, of Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, Gregory Council, 63, of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, Kareem Bannister, 37, of Chester, Pennsylvania, Louis Stillis, 53, of Upland, Pennsylvania, Anthony Major, 53, of Philadelphia, and Breon Gethers, 38, of Chester, Pennsylvania, were all arrested for their alleged involvement with the organization. Police are also looking for Nakia Jeffries, 49, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for his alleged involvement with the group.

All nine men are charged with operating a corrupt organization, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, conspiracy and weapons offenses.

The investigation began in February 2024, when the Delaware County Narcotics Task Force (NTF) and the Delaware State Police began investigating the organization as part of a cross-state undercover operation nicknamed the “Rat Pack.”

Investigators identified Mills as the leader of the group. Mills is said to have organized the acquisition of cocaine from sources in various locations, including Philadelphia.

Bannister and Young were trusted members of the organization who accompanied Mills to Philadelphia, where the group was supplied with cocaine, investigators said. Bannister and Mills also went to a storage facility in Delaware where cocaine and money were stored, according to officials.

Between March 2024 and May 2024, undercover NTF members bought cocaine from Young in Chester, investigators said. Officials later identified additional members of the organization after intercepting cellphone conversations, investigators said.

On August 13, 2024, investigators executed search warrants at 16 locations in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, resulting in the seizure of $63,073 in cash, six vehicles, three handguns, 40 rounds of ammunition, 429.94 grams of cocaine and 257 grams of marijuana, officials said.

“Early on in my tenure as District Attorney, I resolved to use every investigative tool at our disposal to dismantle the drug organizations operating in Delaware County. Using methods such as wiretaps and undercover buys, we have targeted the corrupt organizations that bring this poison into our communities, not just the individuals who sell it on our street corners,” said Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer. “The defendants charged in Operation Rat Pack are drug kingpins responsible for a large portion of the illegal narcotics sold in our county. The work to dismantle this organization was difficult, lengthy and dangerous, and required a tremendous investment of time and money. But I know that by dismantling this organization, we have made Delaware County a safer and healthier place to live.”

The eight incarcerated men were arraigned and their bail was set at $500,000. They were transported to the George W. Hill Correctional Facility and their preliminary hearings are scheduled for August 28, 2024 at 1 p.m.