Cocaine trafficking ring busted at top university as young students 'forced to cut and bag drugs'

Cocaine trafficking ring busted at top university as young students 'forced to cut and bag drugs' 13 students and a dad have been slapped with charges as police say they have uncovered a cocaine trafficking operation run out of two university fraternity houses More than a dozens students have been accused of running a complex cocaine trafficking ring out of their university fraternity houses. 14 people, mostly current and former students, were slapped with charges after the drug operation was busted at Penn State University, in Pennsylvania. Authorities alleged frat members made pledges - new members of a fraternity - cut and package cocaine during their initiation process. Four of the charged are current students, nine are university alumni and one is a dad. Authorities claimed Agostino Abbatiello and Thomas Robinson, two members of the alleged organisation, were supposedly the main suppliers and made regular trips to New York and Philadelphia for "large quantities of cocaine". Attorney General Dave Sunday described Abbatiello as at the "very top of the chain" and Robinson as "a rung below that on the ladder". The Attorney General said: "This was a coordinated and highly-profitable drug-trafficking crew revolving around two senior members of the fraternities, other fraternity brothers and pledges. In fact, according to the evidence uncovered, cutting and packaging cocaine was, for some pledges, an indoctrination into the fraternities." Attorney General Sunday, speaking to press on Monday, said drug packing happened at the off-campus frat houses and the "actual drug dealing was largely from friend to friend, fraternity brother to fraternity brother, acquaintance to acquaintance and at fraternity houses and or during parties or social engagements". Some members of two off-campus fraternities, Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi, were accused of being involved in the alleged operation. The alleged crimes are said to have taken place between 2023 and 2024, when 13 of the 14 suspects were students at the school. Abbatiello and Robinson, along with Mohammed Hurabi and Lars Zeepvat, were charged with felony corrupt organisations, conspiracy, dealing proceeds of unlawful activity and related offences. Robert Zanolla was charged with felony conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility as well as other misdemeanour charges. Other suspects, who are all "student aged", include Liam Smith, Michael Brogno, Kaden Howe, Connor Hurleigh, Seth Beardsley, Kyle Ridpath, Daniel Price and Charles Wiseman. They were charged with possession and paraphernalia. Robinson's dad, Paul Robinson, was charged with felony tampering, hindering apprehension for taking steps to conceal evidence, including a safe containing drugs and cash, and obstructing the investigation. The Attorney General told a press conference: "This was a coordinated and organised cocaine trafficking operation with regular trips to those source cities and large amounts of cocaine being brought back to these fraternities." Penn State said it has placed Delta Upsilon on interim suspension amid an internal investigation and said Sigma Chi operates outside of the university and is not recognised as part of the university. Andrea Dowhower, vice president for Student Affairs at Penn State, said: "We are horrified by these serious allegations against current and former students. Criminal activity, including hazing, such as this has no place at our institution, and we will cooperate with law enforcement in any way we can. We will continue to enhance our efforts around health and safety and hazing educational efforts for all our organizations." Delta Upsilon's executive director, Justin Kirk, told Fox News: "The charges filed today [Monday] stem from alleged incidents that Delta Upsilon International Fraternity was previously made aware of. The individuals associated with Delta Upsilon have either been expelled, suspended or resigned. We will continue to work closely with the university on any investigative efforts." Michael Church, Sigma Chi's executive director, according to the Daily Mail, said the allegations are "an egregious violation of our values" and all three members charged in the investigation have been suspended.