32 Arrested During Drug Sweep in Wilkes-Barre (Warren, Riverside: attorney, costs, safe)

[Magritte25]

22 charged in Wilkes-Barre drug sweep - News - Citizens Voice

I know the article says 22, but the city is saying they have actually charged 32 people in the sting - 22 of which are dealers.

Twenty-two suspected drug dealers, accused of dealing heroin and prescription drugs, were charged today following a street-level sweep in Wilkes-Barre by state narcotics agents and local police.

Attorney General Linda Kelly and Wilkes-Barre Police Chief Gerald Dessoye said the arrests were the result of a five-month cooperative investigation, known as “Operation Square Deal,” into the alleged street-level drug dealing in the Wilkes-Barre area.

[Riverside4ever]

All done in front of the camera's ,, What dumb ass's ... They deserved to get caught being that stupid ..

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by Riverside4ever

All done in front of the camera's ,, What dumb ass's ... They deserved to get caught being that stupid ..

Years ago I knew four dock workers that lost their $35,000+/year jobs for a handful of candy. That was in the 1980's at Consolidated Freight in Mt. Pocono. Some yo-yo was damaging the diesel forklifts. We were at odds with the company for using the diesel forklifts on the dock – we looked like we worked in a coal mine. We were fighting the company with new contractual language. But; that was no excuse to damage the equipment. The company set up a sting operation to catch the culprit/s that were damaging the forklifts. Instead they video tapped four dockmen each taking a handful of candy from a box. It was a heck of a price to pay for a dollars worth of candy! $35K was pretty good money for this area in the 1980's.

The camera's are a lot better today.

[warren zee]

If the police want to double the amount caught, they just have to come down our block.

[Summering]

Yes, I agree with you Warren. Why aren't they? Its so unbelievable to me.

[auntieannie68]

sad fact is as often as i go into downtown wb daily--i RARELY SEE SIGNS OF POLICE PRESENCE-----where are they or is there only one or two cars out there per shift????

[green_mariner]

I've got mixed feelings about this. On one hand, if you do the crime, you do the time. I am in favor of that. I have no respect for drug dealers. On the other hand, this whole war on drugs have gotten us nowhere. It is interesting. Portugal legalized heroin a few years back. Within 5 years, HIV infection rates dropped, as did addiction rates. Prison time is replaced with therapy. Portugal now has fewer issues with drugs than the USA. It makes me wonder if the drug war is working. If you're out causing violence in the streets in the process of selling drugs, then yes, I say lock you up. You do the crime, you do the time. I wouldn't use drugs either. Still, I look at it this way. Drugs are a horrible path to get on. On the other hand, I'm learning more and more than prison time isn't going to stop anyone from using drugs or selling them. Drugs have been known to get into the prisons, one of the most secure places in our society. If they can get there, then your own community, no matter how safe it is, or out of the way it is, drugs can end up there too.

[Beaconowner]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

I've got mixed feelings about this. On one hand, if you do the crime, you do the time. I am in favor of that. I have no respect for drug dealers. On the other hand, this whole war on drugs have gotten us nowhere. It is interesting. Portugal legalized heroin a few years back. Within 5 years, HIV infection rates dropped, as did addiction rates. Prison time is replaced with therapy. Portugal now has fewer issues with drugs than the USA. It makes me wonder if the drug war is working. If you're out causing violence in the streets in the process of selling drugs, then yes, I say lock you up. You do the crime, you do the time. I wouldn't use drugs either. Still, I look at it this way. Drugs are a horrible path to get on. On the other hand, I'm learning more and more than prison time isn't going to stop anyone from using drugs or selling them. Drugs have been known to get into the prisons, one of the most secure places in our society. If they can get there, then your own community, no matter how safe it is, or out of the way it is, drugs can end up there too.

Keep questioning the status quo, if it doesn't make sense to you it likely doesn't make sense. Do some research on the origin and costs of the drug war, then get back to us.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Beaconowner

Keep questioning the status quo, if it doesn't make sense to you it likely doesn't make sense. Do some research on the origin and costs of the drug war, then get back to us.

I know the origins of the drug war. And I know that this "drug war" isn't really working at all. It doesn't make sense to me because it isn't working. On the other hand, I don't advocate recreational drug use.

[Beaconowner]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

22 charged in Wilkes-Barre drug sweep - News - Citizens Voice

I know the article says 22, but the city is saying they have actually charged 32 people in the sting - 22 of which are dealers.

Our police, don't you love them, it takes them 5 months of "INVESTIGATING" to nab 22 or 32 sellers and users. This is good police work?

They caught street people and some low level sellers, whoopie! I guess the drug problem in Wilkes_barre is over.

Is this really an effective use of 5 months of police resources, or is this just some more window dressing by the police, so they can look like they are doing something, and qualify for more federal grants?

If after 5 months all they can do is arrest people that are in plain view I don't know who is dumber, the police or the people dealing at the street level.