Bikers Snared In Crystal Meth Ring Bust

PHILADELPHIA - Motorcycle gang members are among 40 suspects charged with operating a crystal methamphetamine ring in Philadelphia and New Jersey, prosecutors are announcing Monday.

Slideshow: Crystal Meth Ring Busted

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett announced the break-up of the $5 million ring during an 11 a.m. news conference in Philadelphia.

He called it a major ring that was bringing the drug from Mexico to Atlanta, into Philadelphia, out to the suburbs and then to Philadelphia.

Seized along with the meth was some crack cocaine. Twenty-three of the forty suspects are under arrest.

The 11-month investigation, dubbed "Operation Ice Breaker," also took down the hierarchy of a local motorcycle gang, the Outlaws Motorcycle Gang, Fox 29's Dave Schratwieser.

According to the attorney general, several members of the gang are charged in the case. Their colors were displayed during Monday's news conference.

Corbett said about the case's impact on the Philadelphia area, "Today's arrests are the culmination of an extensive investigation which began in Sept. of 2008 into crystal methamphetamine distribution in Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We have not only taken down the main crystal methamphetamine suppliers from Atlanta and dealers, but we have also arrested the dealers and key members of the Philadelphia Outlaws Motorcycle Gang."

Schratwieser reported that William Lees is accused of running the operation, and also implicated is Thomas Zaroff Jr., who is the president of Philadelphia's Outlaws chapter. Authorities referred to him as "the boss."

Zaroff, the former leader of another gang called the Warlocks, has been arrested before.

The ring allegedly operated in Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks and Chester counties, as well as in Camden and Burlington counties in New Jersey.

Some of the drugs had names like "dead end," "five star," "assassin," "death wish" and "kick back."

Corbett made a point of saying drugs like these are not a victimless crime. Methamphetamine destroys families, individuals and leads to violence.

He noted that the Outlaws are the fourth-ranking outlaw motorcycle gang in the country and known to use violence.

The case was investigated by the A.G.'s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation.