SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- A joint investigation among the DEA, State Police, Schenectady Police and several other agencies lead to the indictment of nine people on drug charges.

All nine are accused of conspiring to distribute heroin from November 2011 through June 2012. Their ages range from 21 to 47 and they all live in Schenectady.

Four suspects face up to life in prison and the other five face up to 40 years in prison.

The DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge said in a statement, "Like a pyramid scheme with workers at all levels distributing, smuggling, transporting and selling products, this drug trafficking organization put poison on the streets of Schenectady for one reason only- profit. This very organized illegal business was identified and dismantled due to the coordination of local, state and federal law enforcement."