Feedback: North Country Drug Raids Linked To Russian Mob

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Story Published: Jul 2, 2009 at 12:49 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jul 2, 2009 at 7:10 PM EDT

Authorities say they've broken up a drug ring linked to Russian organized crime that smuggled as much as $27 million worth of marijuana through the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation to Ohio over the past three years.

The drug pipeline included bi-weekly trips by drug runners to the community of St. Regis Falls.

Authorities say the owners of the Hill Top Stop convenience store would have thousands of dollars worth of worth of high-grade Canadian marijuana in vacuum-sealed packages ready for transport:
 
The elaborate delivery scheme also included murder victim Daniel Simonds, who authorities say was involved in making routine marijuana deliveries in the Cleveland, Ohio, area.

"The activity was substantial in so far as the marijuana trafficking to the Cleveland area.  Dan Simonds' participation in that was in all likelihood part of a larger scheme," said St. Lawrence County District Attorney Nicole Duve.
 
The scope of the drug trafficking network came as a surprise to local authorities, who originally believed the May 12, 2008 shooting death of Simonds at his Stockholm home was the result of a drug deal gone bad.

It wasn't until later that local investigators learned that Ohio authorities had linked Simonds to pot deliveries for the Russian Mafia in Cleveland.

"It was certainly a good, eye-opening example of the magnitude of it and why we need to pay more attention to it," said Duve.
 
Hill Top Stop store owners Harold and Sabrina Fraser, along with 30 year old William Votra of Santamont Road in Hopkinton, all face charges of first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Votra and Harold Fraser are also charged with second-degree conspiracy.

Authorities believe as many as 45 separate trips using rental cars were made between September 2007 and June of this year to Fraser's Adirondack camp where cocaine and marijuana were allegedly exchanged.

So far, eight people have been charged in connection with the drug network.

Authorities say more arrests are coming.

Seven people also remain under federal indictment for their role in Simonds' homicide; six are in custody and one remains at large.

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