PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA — The FBI announced the indictment of 10 people Wednesday in the takedown of what prosecutors called a prolific cocaine trafficking organization that used semi-trucks to haul literal truckloads of cocaine from the Texas-Mexico border to Philadelphia every month — moving between $5 million and $10 million worth of the drug each month and maintaining direct contact with a Mexican cartel.
More than $17 million in cocaine was seized over the course of the investigation, with more than $8 million recovered in Philadelphia alone. Multiple firearms were also seized. All 10 defendants face possible life sentences. Nearly all of them were previously convicted of drug trafficking in the 2000s but received reduced sentences.
“These are apex suppliers,” said David Metcalf, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “Literal truckloads of cocaine have been seized as a result of this case and kept from flooding our city.”
The Alleged Leaders
Gregory Jones, 48, of Philadelphia, known as “Smallz,” and Edward Basley, 47, of Wayne, Pennsylvania, known as “Beeb,” are charged as the leaders of the Jones-Basley drug trafficking organization. Both face conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute. Jones faces an additional charge of possession with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of an elementary school. Basley also faces gun charges.
The Other Eight Charged
- Shawn Bell, 54, Cheltenham
- Orenthial Bailey, 50, Temple, Texas
- Eduard Amador, 38, Manassas, Virginia
- Jabari Savage, 46, Philadelphia
- Renard Brown, 43, Philadelphia
- Jermaine Singleton, 52, Philadelphia
- Farid Haddad, 48, Philadelphia
- David McField, 43, Philadelphia
Five of the ten were arrested by the FBI on Tuesday. The other five were already in state or federal custody.
Authorities said the organization obtained more than 300 kilograms of cocaine directly from a Mexican cartel and transported it largely from the Texas-Mexico border to Philadelphia in semi-trucks. The ring operated between 2024 and 2026.
“While today marks an important step, our work here does not end,” said FBI Philadelphia official Wayne Jacobs.
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