Earlier this month, New York State Police Superintendent Joseph D'Amico announced the indictment of 32 people charged with operating two large-scale drug distribution rings that feed various narcotics in Buffalo, Rochester and other communities in upstate New York.
"Operation Crazy Train" was a 13-month investigation that seized nearly $1 million worth of heroin and cocaine as well as over tens of thousands of dollars in cash. Throughout the investigation, the agents used information they obtained to help get to the center of the ring and eventually bring it down.
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The most interesting part of the investigation? The use of Reggie Miller's name as a code word for drug distribution. From the official news release:
Based on hundreds of hours of wiretaps obtained by authorities in the course of this operation, it is alleged that the suspects went to elaborate lengths to communicate with one another and with others over cellular telephones using codes and speaking in a guarded, cryptic manner.
They created a unique slang to allow them to conduct transactions while evading law enforcement detection. For example, as alleged today in court, one defendant was recorded asking another defendant to give him “a Reggie Miller” – a request to purchase 31 grams of a cocaine using an implied reference to the jersey number of former NBA player Reggie Miller.
Reggie Miller's connection to New York has always been culturally relevant; his playoff performance against the New York Knicks and his verbal sparring session with Spike Lee live forever in the annals of NBA history.
Clearly the drug trafficking community of upstate New York holds Miller in a higher regard than we were aware of.