Ex-Officer Charged With Running Drug Ring, Bribery, and Robbery

Federal authorities have charged former NYPD officer Andrew Nguyen with an array of serious crimes, including narcotics trafficking, bribery, firearms offenses, and robbery, for his alleged role in a drug trafficking ring while still serving as an active-duty officer. Nguyen was arrested Tuesday morning after the indictment was unsealed.

According to prosecutors, Nguyen’s criminal activities allegedly spanned from 2020 to November 2023. He is accused of exploiting his badge, accepting more than $30,000 in bribes to assist a confidential co-conspirator (CC-1) in drug operations.

Authorities outlined several criminal acts Nguyen allegedly committed:

Drug Transportation: He allegedly transported about eight kilograms of cocaine for CC-1 while carrying his NYPD-issued firearm, credentials, and parking placard to avoid law enforcement scrutiny.
Armed Escort: Nguyen is accused of chauffeuring CC-1 to drug deals while armed and on duty.
Database Misuse: He allegedly searched NYPD databases for confidential information on rival drug dealers and provided the details to CC-1. He also reportedly offered to arrest another dealer for payment.
Staged Car Stop: In exchange for money, Nguyen allegedly used an NYPD vehicle to conduct a fake traffic stop involving CC-1, pretended to seize drugs and cash, and later filed false NYPD reports to shield CC-1 from a drug debt.
Kidnapping Plans: Prosecutors say Nguyen expressed willingness to kidnap drug dealers who owed money to CC-1’s associate (CC-2) through an unauthorized arrest, though this plan was not executed.
Robbery Conspiracy: He also allegedly conspired to rob a drug-money courier through another fake traffic stop, which ultimately did not occur.

Nguyen was caught in late 2023 during an undercover operation where he transported what he believed to be five kilograms of cocaine for $5,000—but the substance was fake, provided by law enforcement.

During his arrest, investigators executed a search warrant at Nguyen’s home, where they allegedly found several firearms and ammunition in plain view, including a fully loaded Glock 19 with hollow-point rounds, two AR-15-style rifles, a short-barreled rifle, and a 60-round high-capacity drum magazine.

U.S. Attorney Clayton condemned the actions, stating, “As alleged, Andrew Nguyen not only breached that trust for profit, but he also committed crimes against his fellow New Yorkers.”