Hazelton Area Attractive To Drug Dealers.

Wow, this place is BOOMING! Booming with the sound of gunfire!

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/15214437.htm

Three major city gangs have been confirmed in Luzerne County by local
and state police: the Bloods, Crips and Latin Kings, with the Latin
Kings said to be concentrated more in southern Luzerne County. Though
word of their presence might come as a shock to some, it comes as no
surprise to those who understand gang activity.

Surveys conducted by the East Coast Gang Investigators Association
reveal a trend of gangs moving toward more suburban areas, where major
cities are a few hours away.

Luzerne County fits that bill. Just check out the county's Convention
and Visitors Bureau Web site.

"Few areas can match its accessibility with Interstates 80, 81, 380
and 84 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike crossing through its region,"
the Web site suggests.

That makes the region a less competitive and more profitable arena for
gangs peddling a buffet of drugs. Crack cocaine, marijuana and heroin
are big sellers and methamphetamines are making a comeback, according
to Bill Chalfant, a detective with the Lancaster County District
Attorney's Office and president of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the
East Coast Gang Investigators Association.

"Whatever the buyer wants. Whatever (a dealer) can make a profit
on," he said.

There is little doubt gang-related violence can prove fatal.

The charred remains of two men accused of being drug dealers, tagged by
police as Bloods gang members, were found last year buried in back of a
Kingston Township home. Hugo Selenski is set to be tried in the deaths
of the two: Frank Jermaine James, also known as Rudy, a 29-year-old New
York City man; and Adeiye Keiler, also known as Redman, a 22-year-old
illegal alien from Guyana using a Kingston address.

And in July, the Luzerne County District Attorney's Office announced
it would not prosecute 20-year-old Laval "Murder" Farmer despite
its belief he pumped five bullets into a South Welles Street man in
July 2002. That man survived. Instead, Farmer will be prosecuted on
federal charges out of New York. Authorities there said Farmer,
suspected of being a Blood, killed a 14-year-old rival Crips member
nearly three years ago.

An 'excellent' market

The Edwardsville incident has been dubbed a "gang-related incident"
and "retaliation for some prior event," according to Hannon. Police
were not specific about which gang or gangs might be involved.

Such retaliation is expected to continue. Hannon has witnessed an
influx of gang members who have relocated to Luzerne County, at least
on a part-time basis.