A SECOND 'PIZZA' DRUG RING IS BROKEN UP BY AUTHORITIES
By SELWYN RAAB NOV. 16, 1984
For the second time in seven months, a narcotics ring that used pizzerias in the city to camouflage large-scale heroin and cocaine deals has been broken up, Federal officials said yesterday.
Rudolph W. Giuliani, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said the ring - which operated out of pizza parlors in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens - was ''definitely linked'' to the international ''Pizza Connection'' gang that was broken up in April.
Mr. Giuliani said that both groups used pizzerias as covers and that their leaders were recent immigrants from Sicily who were members of the Joseph Bonanno organized-crime organization in New York.
14 Arrested in Raids
In a series of raids last week, the auhorities arrested 14 people on charges of selling drugs and conspiracy to distribute drugs. All 14 pleaded not guilty at hearings Wednesday night in Federal District Court in Manhattan after the accusations were unsealed.
The reputed head of the group was identified in court papers as Anthony Aiello, 46 years old, of 75-21 Caldwell Avenue, Middle Village, Queens. Federal officials said Mr. Aiello and another suspect were still at large.
Eight pounds of heroin, two pounds of cocaine, $1.6 million in cash and 26 handguns, rifles and shotguns guns were seized in raids on homes in Manhattan and Queens. Mr. Aiello's father, Vito Aiello, 73, also was arrested and more than $900,000 was found in his home at 69-04 59th Drive, Maspeth, Queens, according to Andrew Pucher, a spokesman for the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
A 'Most Significant' Case
Last April, a Federal grand jury in Manhattan indicted 31 people on charges of smuggling more than $1 billion worth of heroin into the United States in two years. That group used pizza restaurants in New York and elsewhere to distribute heroin, according to the indictment.
In addition to New York, arrests were made in Newark, Philadelphia, Chicago and Detroit, as well as in Spain, Italy and Switzerland.
At the time, Attorney General William French Smith said, ''It is the most significant case involving heroin trafficking by traditional organized crime that has ever been developed by the Government.''
He added, ''We estimate that the ring has imported at least 330 pounds of heroin a year for the past five years.’'
Mr. Guiliani said members of both gangs met at a restaurant owned by Anthony Aiello, the Cafe Aiello, 66-20 Fresh Pond Road in Fresh Pond, Queens. Based on surveillance and other evidence, Mr. Giuliani said, ''There is no question these two groups are definitely linked and had close connections.’'
'A Very Extensive Operation'
Mr. Aiello's purported drug ring, Mr. Giuliani asserted, was ''a very extensive operation and very heavy into heroin.'' He said Mr. Aiello had lived in New York since 1978.
In addition to Cafe Aiello, Mr. Aiello operated four pizzerias in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, which Federal agents said were used for drug sales. According to the charges, heroin purchases were made by undercover agents at Tony's Pizza Parlor, 164 West 125th Street, which is across the street from the state office building in Harlem, at 125th Street and Seventh Avenue.
The 16-month investigation was conducted by the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, consisting of agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and investigators from the New York City and State police forces.
I WONER IF ANTHONY WAS RELATED TO ANDREA AIELLO IN BUFFALO?
