17 DRUG DEALERS BUSTED

JEANNETTE, Pa., Feb. 19 (UPI) - Pennsylvania Attorney General Mike Fisher
says that approximately 25 law enforcement officers were in the process of
capturing as many as 17 suspected crack cocaine dealers operating in the
Jeannette area of Westmoreland County.

Fisher said today's arrests are the result of a six-month investigation by
agents of his Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and the Westmoreland County
Drug Task Force.

He said the undercover investigation focused on street-level crack cocaine
dealing throughout the Jeannette area.

Fisher said all of the undercover purchases occurred in Jeannette,
particularly in the 400 block of Fifth Street.

While some of the undercover purchases took place on the streets of
Jeannette, Fisher said that many of the purchases were made in residences
of the alleged drug dealers.

Fisher classified the drug dealers arrested today as street-level dealers,
primarily dealing in crack cocaine.

Fisher said, ``The message we are sending to drug dealers today is simple:
If you continue to deal drugs in Jeannette, we will investigate you, arrest
you, prosecute you and put you in jail.''

Fisher explained that the Westmoreland County Drug Task Force, which
receives its funding from the Attorney General's Office, was established to
conduct investigations of street-level drug dealers. He said that evidence
developed during the investigation, including where the street-level drug
dealers obtained their drugs, is being used by his BNI agents to target
mid-to upper-level dealers.

He noted that the investigation is continuing and that further arrests are
expected.

Fisher said the defendants are being arraigned before Jeannette District
Justice Mary S. DiClaudio and will be prosecuted by Westmoreland County
District Attorney John Peck's office.

The Task Force officers from Jeannette, North Huntington, Vandergrift
Borough, Washington Township and the Westmoreland County Sheriff's
Department participated in today's raid.