KINGSTON, Jamaica —

The New Jersey State Police Crime Suppression South Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have arrested nine people including dancehall deejay Flippa Mafia, in connection with an international drug ring that operated between Jamaica, New Jersey and California.

A statement posted on the www.nj.gov.com website said 34-year-old Flippa Mafia (real name Andrew Davis) was the mastermind behind the network which also involved his 22-year-old brother Kemar Davis.

Flippa Mafia

According to the statement, the investigation, dubbed ‘Operation Next Day Air’, began in March 2011 and “targeted the shipment of large quantities of cocaine through public delivery services.”

Flippa Mafia was arrested in Los Angeles, California on September 16 and extradited to New Jersey on October 8.

Investigators say after Flippa Mafia returned to Jamaica in 2012, Kemar Davis of Hollywood, California “took over the transcontinental shipping operation and sent large quantities of drugs from California to New Jersey, in close consultation with Andrew Davis and Marsha Bernard, 28 of Cherry Hill.”

The authorities say between March and May, detectives recovered more than 26 kilograms of cocaine, worth approximately $780,000, two handguns, and more than $600,000 in cash from Flippa Mafia’s associates in New Jersey and Philadelphia.

Investigators say this is “a small percentage of the total amount of cocaine brought into New Jersey by Andrew Davis’ drug trafficking organisation.”

The case will be prosecuted by the Division of Criminal Justice under the Office of the Attorney General.

Those arrested on cocaine trafficking, conspiracy and money laundering charges are Andrew ‘Flippa Mafia’ Davis; Kemar Davis; Marsha Bernard, 28 of Cherry Hill, New Jersey; James McBride, 40; Angel Rivera, 35; Juan Cortez, 41; Shelly Ann Brown, 34; Sidonie McLeod, 28; and 33-year-old Hioka Myrie.

They were offered bail ranging from $US500,000, $350,000 to $250,000 depending on their charges.

Flippa Mafia grew up in Waterhouse, and attended Norman Manley High School in Kingston. Some of his better-known songs are Unfinished House, Star ah Star and Hear mi Hear.