DEALER SAYS HE BOUGHT COCAINE FROM CAMDEN'S FUTURE MAYOR

CAMDEN -- A convicted drug dealer testified Thursday that he bought
cocaine from Mayor Milton Milan to sell on a city street corner in the
1980s -- before Milan became mayor.

The testimony came in the drug conspiracy trial of two alleged
kingpins accused of running the largest cocaine ring in Camden history
before it was toppled in 1998.

Authorities say Camden businessman Jose "J. R." Rivera directed the
multimillion-dollar drug ring and laundered its profits and Luis "Tun
Tun" Figueroa was the enforcer who used threats and violence to
protect the lucrative market.

Milan is not charged in the case, but his name has surfaced repeatedly
during the federal trial, in its fifth week. Milan has denied any wrongdoing.

In the latest testimony, Wilson "Chill Will" Torres said he began
selling marijuana and then cocaine as a teen in the early Eighties in
North Camden, where he grew up with Milan.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sally Smith asked Torres where he obtained the
cocaine.

"A few times I bought it from Milan," Torres replied.

"Who?" the prosecutor asked.

"Milton Milan," Torres said.

After serving nearly four years in state prison on drug charges,
Torres said he returned to the neighborhood and resumed his drug
dealing in 1988. Smith asked him to name other dealers at that location.

"Milan was there," Torres testified.