Posted on 09/06/2007 6:33:14 PM PDT by yorkie
A northeastern Pennsylvania cocaine ring that allegedly rang up sales of more than $31 million over three years was broken up Thursday as law enforcement officials announced charges against 40 suspects.
The arrests came after a seven-month undercover investigation launched after two confidential informants approached police with information about the sale of crack cocaine in the Hazleton area.
State Attorney General Tom Corbett said that some of the suspects are believed to be illegal immigrants - a disclosure that is sure to add fuel to the debate over Hazleton's now-defunct Illegal Immigration Relief Act.
According to a criminal complaint, undercover officers made numerous controlled buys of crack cocaine from two of the suspects, Rafael Lebron, the owner of a Hazleton barbershop, and Jose Gonzalez, an alleged member of the Latin Kings street gang.
Agents also tapped their phones and listened to hundreds of conversations between Lebron, Gonzalez and their customers, the complaint said. Between April 19 and July 11, documents said, Lebron's phone logged more than 21,000 calls, and Gonzalez's phone more than 17,000 calls.
The pair were supplied by the ring's leader, Jorge Rivera, 39, of West Hazleton, who imported the cocaine from New York City, according to court documents. The ring allegedly made more than $200,000 per week.
"This investigation demonstrates that gang members from New York City are moving into the Hazleton area to corner the drug market," Corbett said in a statement. "The pipeline of drug and gang related activity is constantly flowing from large cities, and as long as there is a demand it will continue."
As many as 33 suspects are in custody.
Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta has repeatedly declared that illegal immigrants are wrecking the city of more than 30,000.
(Excerpt) Read more at centredaily.com ...
undocumented pharmacist - too funny!
Exactly. Local governments need more power in this area of the law.
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