Mother, aunt of teen charged in Newark cop's murder arrested for running open-air drug market
Rabiyah Sorey, the 43-year-old mother of the teen accused of fatally shooting Detective Joseph Azcona on March 7, was described by New Jersey's Attorney General Matthew Platkin as the alleged ringleader of the Double ii, a Bloods-affiliated street gang.
Sorey was arrested on March 24 by state authorities along with her twin sister, Hadiyah Sorey, and 24 other members or associates of the alleged gang, according to court documents obtained by The Post.
Rabiyah is being held on felony racketeering, conspiracy, assault, and drug and weapons charges.
Double ii is said to have operated an open-air drug market along the 200 block of North 9th Street, not far from Branch Brook Park, authorities said.
Days before the arrests, The Post spoke to Hadiyah Sorey on North 9th Street about her nephew and the allegations against him. She boasted to The Post about making $4,000 a day selling drugs.
'I got the whole north behind me,' Hadiyah Sorey said, referencing Newark's North Ward. 'I do what the f–k I wanna do.'
Investigators contend nine people served as 'creepers' for Double ii and distributed the heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl the gang sold, said investigators, who further allege the 'creepers' carried out violence on Rabiyah Sorey's behalf, including attacking those who disrespected her.
Others served as overseers or enforcers.
Using wiretaps and surveillance cameras, detectives managed to link Rabiyah to at least four shootings between April 2023 and December.
The gang maintained and operated a drug production facility at Sorey's home in Elizabeth, according to authorities.
The house was raided, and police recovered approximately $17,000 in cash as well as empty glassine wax folds, tape, rubber bands, and digital scales, prosecutors said.
'Illegal drug trafficking continues to impact the lives of New Jerseyans, and gangs like the one described in today's criminal complaints seek to profit from the sale of these potentially fatal drugs,' said Platkin in a statement.
'This particular drug enterprise is charged with routinely engaging in violence for the sake of intimidating others, maintaining gang discipline, and controlling their territory. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect our cities and towns from these criminal organizations.'
The Soreys could not be reached for comment.
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