FLUSHING, N.Y. — Four individuals have been indicted on charges including conspiracy and drug trafficking following the dismantling of a narcotics operation that spanned Queens and Manhattan, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Thursday. The long-term investigation, dubbed “Operation Frostbite,” uncovered a large-scale distribution network trafficking ketamine, MDMA, and cannabis.
The suspects, including alleged ringleader Xing Li, 40, of Flushing, were arrested during court-authorized raids this week. Li, along with Kaiyu Huang, 36, of Manhattan; Quan Ni, 24, of unknown address; and Raymond Nam, 36, of Flushing, face a 19-count indictment. Li was additionally charged with operating as a major trafficker, which carries a potential sentence of 15 years to life in prison.
Prosecutors allege the defendants stored and sold drugs at multiple locations, with activity concentrated near Nam’s residence in Flushing and Huang’s in Manhattan. Undercover officers made five controlled purchases of ketamine and MDMA between June 2023 and April 2024, with transactions totaling over $26,000.
Search warrants executed in July and October uncovered over 30 kilograms of ketamine, 600 grams of MDMA, and 100 pounds of cannabis, making it one of the largest drug seizures in the area in recent years. The arrests followed months of electronic surveillance and undercover operations led by NYPD Detective Jose Ortiz under the Criminal Enterprise Investigations Section.
“Those who choose to peddle poison in Queens are on notice: my office will meticulously dismantle drug rings and take drugs off the streets,” Katz said in a statement.
