Pocono News Section

Wyoming County Drug Round-Up Targets Street Level Dealers

Wyoming County Drug Round-Up Targets Street Level Dealers - Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 6:21PM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Wednesday, Jan 27, 2010 @ 06:21pm EST
TUNKHANNOCK, WYOMING COUNTY - More than a dozen suspected drug dealers are off the streets of Wyoming County. State police, local police and the DA's office teamed-up for a day-long drug round-up Wednesday.

The drug round-up started around 7:00 AM. A total of 18 arrest teams went out into the community looking for suspects. By mid-afternoon, a total of 18 people were in custody. Officials expect they could get at least two more.

After all of the suspects were picked-up they were brought to the Triton Hose company for processing and questioning. They were then brought to the Wyoming County courthouse for arraignment.

"The drugs that we're dealing with are mostly prescription pills and heroin and there is some marijuana. Some drugs were seized along with cash," Trooper Martin Connors of the Pennsylvania State Police said.

The most striking thing about the suspects is that many are young. Most were between the ages of 20 and 30. Investigators are calling all of the suspects "street level" dealers.

"It's almost like the minor leagues until they try and work their way up to become a major dealer but hopefully we put them on the bench now," Trooper Connors said.

News of the drug round-up spread fast in rural Wyoming County. Most people were happy to hear about the dent being made in the local drug trade.

"They're here. I have relatives that work in the schools and they know they're there. You see things in the newspaper here and there about drugs being here, but yeah, it's good to take them off the streets," Kathy Harter-Keefe of Tunkhannock said.

"Each one like we said is a street level dealer but putting them all together, that's a major amount of drugs that aren't going to be getting sold on the streets of Wyoming County anymore," Trooper Connors said.