Attorney General James Announces Takedown of Brooklyn Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficker

March 26, 2026

NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the arrest and indictment of Azer Arslanouk, 36, of Ocean Township, New Jersey, for illegally selling fentanyl and cocaine in Brooklyn, New York. An investigation led by the Office of the Attorney General's (OAG) Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) seized more than 8,887 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and over 891 grams of cocaine, worth approximately $100,000. The indictment was unsealed today in Kings County Court and charges Arslanouk with 31 crimes for trafficking narcotics. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

"Drug traffickers who hide fentanyl in counterfeit prescription drugs are putting New Yorkers suffering from opioid addiction in grave danger," said Attorney General James. "This investigation took thousands of deadly pills off the street, and my office will continue fighting to stop the opioid crisis in our communities. I thank our law enforcement partners for their collaboration as we work to keep New Yorkers safe from dangerous narcotics."

"The sale of these illegal drugs perpetuates a cycle of substance abuse and poses a significant threat to safety and quality of life in our neighborhoods," said New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James. "This arrest speaks volumes of the tremendous coordination between law enforcement partners to stop the individuals that fuel these dangerous acts. We will remain diligent in our collaborative efforts with Attorney General James and our law enforcement partners to stem the flow of illegal drugs from infiltrating our communities."

"Counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl continue to be a lethal threat to those unsuspecting users who think they are taking a legitimate pharmaceutical pill," said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. "This operation, which included the removal of over 8,500 fentanyl pills off our streets, undoubtedly saved lives. We will continue to work with Attorney General James and our law enforcement partners across New York state, as we push toward our goal for a fentanyl free America."

The investigation spanned 30 months and included hundreds of hours of physical surveillance, court-authorized cellphone GPS information, covert cameras, and undercover operations. The OAG's investigation revealed that from December 2024 to January 2025, Arslanouk engaged in four separate drug sales, including cocaine and counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. Arslanouk was storing and selling the cocaine and fentanyl pills out of a storefront at 9 Lake Street in Gravesend, Brooklyn. He used encrypted messaging apps to communicate with buyers about his narcotics sales.

A search of the Lake Street storefront resulted in the seizure of more than 8,887 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and over 891 grams of cocaine, of which the street resale value is approximately $100,000.

The indictment, unsealed today before Kings County Supreme Court Judge Danny Chun, charges Arslanouk with 31 crimes, including various counts of Criminal Sale and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance (class A and B felonies), and Conspiracy to commit those crimes. If convicted, Arslanouk faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The charges against the defendant are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at trial or by plea.

Attorney General James would like to thank the Special Investigations Unit and the Social Investigations Unit of the New York State Police, as well as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Kings County District Attorney's office for their assistance in this investigation.

The investigation was led by OCTF Detectives Steven Cohan and Zylona Silva, under the supervision of OCTF Detective Supervisor Bradford Miller, OCTF Assistant Chief Ismael Hernandez, and OCTF Deputy Chief Andrew Boss, with special assistance from detective specialists from the OAG Special Operations Unit, led by Deputy Chief Sean Donovan. The Attorney General's Investigations Division is led by Chief Oliver Pu-Folkes.

The case is being prosecuted by OCTF Assistant Deputy Attorney Generals James P. Cudden and Michelle Kiley, together with former OCTF Legal Support Analyst Madeline Rosen, under the supervision of Downstate Deputy Bureau Chief Lauren Abinanti. Nicole Keary is the Deputy Attorney General in Charge of OCTF. The Division of Criminal Justice is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado. Both the Investigations Division and the Division for Criminal Justice are overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.