Pocono News Section

Operation Heavyweight Busts Gangs & Drugs in W-B

Operation Heavyweight Busts Gangs & Drugs in W-B - Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 5:47PM EST

Reported by: Andy Mehalshick
Tuesday, Oct 21, 2008 @ 05:47pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- Authorities say gangs and drugs were at the heart of two heroin trafficking rings in Wilkes-Barre. We're learning more about both following an investigation called "Operation Heavyweight."

Police began rounding up more than 2-dozen suspects Tuesday linked to drug activity based at Sherman Hills Housing Complex.

State Attorney General Tom Corbett said the nearly year-long investigation centered on two rival Wilkes-Barre based gangs. The A. G. said the gangs called "Long Island Boys" and "Jersey City Boys" were involved in distributing millions of dollars of heroin.

He said the Long Island Boys staged a turf war that includes several shootings, torture and other violence. "The Long Island Boys eventually took sole control of the heroin trade in the Sherman HIlls HousIng Complex after the murder of "Rockstar", Aaron Baxter, who was the leader of the Philadelphia gang,” said Corbett.

Baxter was murdered in June at Sherman Hills. 27 people now face charges following Operation Heavyweight. The Attorney General says more arrests are possible.