Two
Israelis arrested in $40 million drug bust
NEW YORK (CNN) --
Two Israeli nationals were in jail Wednesday after 450 pounds of ecstacy worth nearly $40 million dollars were seized in what police called "the largest seizure of the drug" in the city's history.
David Rohash, 28, and Israel Askenasi, 25, face various drug charges after police found more than one million tablets of the popular stimulant in the Tuesday night raid.
Police said the two
men were the top distributors of ecstacy to dealers in the city.
"The seizure
and two arrests are expected to have a major impact on the distribution
and sales of one of the most popular and dangerous and illegal
drugs used in New York City," said Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik.
At a press conference, police laid out the
drugs along with $187,000 in cash seized in the raid.
"When you look at these they look harmless,"
said Mayor Rudolph Giuliani as he surveyed the table. "They're
pink and light blue and white and they are very, very dangerous
substances that in fact can be fatal."
Ecstacy is one of the street names for methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). It is known as a "club drug" that puts one in a euphoric
and energetic state.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse says ecstacy produces an increased heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. And because its stimulant properties enable users to dance for extended periods, it can also lead to dehydration, hypertension, and heart or kidney failure.
By comparison, New York police seized a total of 385 pounds of ecstacy last year.
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