Five local men were arrested Tuesday and stand accused of running a drug operation out of a barbershop and soccer store.

According to a press release from the Southern District of New York, the men were operating in plain sight at 427 Broadway in Newburgh.

Authorities began investigating in early 2016 and went on to make nearly 50 purchases of more than 500 heroin packets in the retail location. Customers who were observed on surveillance footage would enter the shop and spend around 2 1/2 minutes before heading off. A haircut takes a little longer than that.

Victor M. Rivas, 51; 25-year-old Ronald L. Matias; 28-year-old Victor R. Rivas; Edward Cardona, 33; and 26-year-old Julio A. Davila, all from Newburgh, were arrested Tuesday.

Two men were arrested at the store, one at home and another at a local hotel. A fifth man is already in prison so he was easy to find. Some $250,000 was discovered in a storage unit belong to one of the men while they also discovered what they believe to be a brick of heroin at the store.

"As alleged, these defendants blatantly sold heroin from a storefront on a main street in Newburgh, New York," Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara stated in the release. "By flouting the law and selling heroin like newspapers or lottery tickets."

All five were charged with conspiring to violate the narcotics laws of the United States by conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over a kilogram of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin.

All five face 10 years to life in prison if convicted.

The New York State Police, DEA and Department of Homeland Security cooperated on the investigation.

More From WRRV-WRRB