 | Bronx drug lord Jose 'Hippie' Mercedes was sentenced to 14 years in prison after being caught trying to pull off one of the biggest heroin deals in New York State history. He often sent relatives and even his own son as collateral for his multi-million dollar drug deals. Mercedes was caught with 70 pounds of heroin worth more than $50 million in 2015. The 49-year-old kingpin ran the drug trafficking scheme from his apartment in the Bronx. |  |
 | Mercedes imported his supply by land from the Sinaloa Cartel in Culiacán, Mexico. According to prosecutors he employed his son, brother, nieces and nephews in the business. Mercedes’ son suffered a serious head injury during one of the trips to Mexico. Police also seized $2 million |  Cops recovered 70 kilograms of heroin from the floor of a Chevrolet Suburban |
