MUG SHOTS: Suspects accused of running heroin pipeline to NYC and Long Island

MINEOLA, N.Y. (WABC) -- Authorities in Nassau County made arrests in what they call a multi-million dollar illegal drug pipeline which ran directly from Mexico to New York City and Long Island as part of an investigation involving local, state and federal law enforcement.

The case has taken down a drug pipeline that has trafficked in several million dollars' worth of heroin in the New York area, as well as cocaine, MDMA (a/k/a ecstasy or molly) and anabolic steroids sold via Craigslist, prosecutors said.

In total, nine defendants from Mexico, California, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens have been indicted and arrested in recent weeks as part an ongoing investigation initiated by Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice's office,

Investigators tracked the source of heroin being sold by two defendants in Nassau back to a drug pipeline centered around Bronx resident Cesar Romero-Astudillo, also known as "Menor." Romero-Astudillo led a drug trafficking network that funneled narcotics by vehicles driven from Mexico and inside "mules" flying from California - all destined for New York City and Long Island to fuel a deepening epidemic of heroin.