15 ARE ARRESTED IN PA. PROBE OF GANG METH RING

BENSALEM, Pa. -- Fifteen men and women were arrested yesterday for
their alleged roles in a multimillion-dollar crystal methamphetamine
ring that authorities say was operated by the Breeds motorcycle gang
in Bucks and Philadelphia counties and parts of New Jersey.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett and Bucks County District
Attorney Diane Gibbons announced the arrests -- carried out by
members of the attorney general's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation
(BNI) and detectives from Bucks County and Philadelphia -- during a
news conference yesterday.

Among those arrested were the alleged leaders of the meth
distribution ring -- who were identified by authorities as John A.
"Shameless" Kovacs, 41, of Butterfly Road, Jackson, N.J., and John W.
"Junior" Napoli , 33, of Appletree Drive, Bristol Township.

Authorities identified Kovacs as president of the New Jersey "Mother
Club" chapter of the Breeds, and Napoli as president of the
Pennsylvania chapter of the Breeds.

Authorities allege that Napoli and the Pennsylvania chapter of the
Breeds were responsible for distributing more than 120 pounds of
crystal methamphetamine -- worth more than $11.25 million -- from May
2005 through June 2006.

"Today's arrests are the result of a continuing investigation into
the distribution of meth in southeastern Pennsylvania centering
around outlaw motorcycle gangs," Corbett said. "In today's arrests we
have not only taken down the main meth dealers in the region, but we
have also arrested the leaders and key members of the Breed outlaw
motorcycle gang."

Authorities said the investigation began as an "outgrowth" of a meth
investigation last year of the Warlock outlaw motorcycle gang that
operated in Bucks and Philadelphia counties.

Starting with the purchase of meth from the gang by an undercover
officer in 2005, the probe progressed to include court-authorized
interceptions of the suspects' telephone conversations, authorities said.

On June 6, search warrants were executed at 13 locations throughout
Bucks and Philadelphia counties on members of the gang. During the
searches, Corbett said, authorities seized more than 22 pounds of
crystal meth, nearly $500,000 in cash and bank deposits, 44 firearms
including one submachine gun, 10 improvised explosive devices,
various vehicles and 24 motorcycles. He said many of the motorcycles
and weapons were stolen.

After viewing the information gathered by authorities, a statewide
investigating grand jury recommended that criminal charges be filed.

The arrests of the 15 suspects -- most of whom are from Bristol,
Bensalem and Philadelphia -- are just the beginning of "Operation
Breed on a Wire" and additional arrests are expected to follow, Corbett said.