Lake County pizza parlors also delivered cocaine, police say 19 charged in bust of alleged drug ring
By Ruth Fuller, Special to the Tribune
7:52 p.m. CDT, May 6, 2011
Customers in the know could get something extra when they placed delivery orders at two Lake County pizza parlors: cocaine, authorities contend.
Charges against 19 people were announced Friday in a far-reaching bust of an alleged cocaine ring that authorities said at times operated out of two well-known pizza parlors and used delivery vehicles to distribute the drugs.
Among those charged with drug conspiracy in the sweep were brothers Elias, Jack and Kostatino “Gus” Papandreou, who own and operate Jack’s Pizza and Burgers restaurants in Waukegan and Grayslake and who authorities said have prior drug-related convictions.
“This criminal element has long been a thorn in the side of the Waukegan Police Department,” police Chief Daniel Greathouse said in a news release, adding that his department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and county prosecutors targeted “mid- to upper-level drug dealers who have flaunted their illicit activities for years.”
Police said they “were able to infiltrate this guarded crew” and that, during the operation, almost 5 pounds of cocaine, along with smaller amounts of Vicodin and Ecstasy, were distributed throughout Lake County with a total street value of about $160,000.
The Papandreou brothers –- Elias, 27, and Kostatino, 34, both of Wadsworth, and Jack, 33, who officials said is in federal custody on other charges –- were each indicted on a drug conspiracy charge, as were 16 other people, most from Lake County, police said. Bail was set at $500,000 for each of the 19 people indicted, authorities said.
All 19 either sold, delivered or bought the drugs, Waukegan police Cmdr. Gabriel Guzman said. Police said customers in on the scheme could even order drugs along with food.
David Flores, who is married to Martha Papandreou, the sister of the alleged ringleaders, said he believes the charges against his brothers-in-law amount to little more than a “personal vendetta” by the Waukegan police.
“The allegations of selling drugs out of the restaurant are incorrect,” Flores said. “My father-in-law would kill these kids. He would be like, ‘You are not going to ruin my business.'”
A pizza place that also sold drugs? They must be the first people to ever think of that!
Really, Carrie? You mean you order pizza and coke all the time and this is what shows up? Definitely time for me to move!
I never heard of coke before but pizza places are known for selling pot on the side. For instance I read that the kids who started Napster routinely had pot delivered right in the pizza box.
Should we be concerned that you seem to know so much about getting drugs delivered by your pizza guy as opposed to your pharmacy? Wonder if you could pay for this through your HSA? Enquiring minds and all…