HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The latest bust by local law enforcement in the war against drugs led them to 150 bricks of heroin, packaged for sale.
Police say Joe Cabrera-Castro of New York was acting as a mule, transporting the drugs across Westmoreland County lines.
"I hear a lot about it -- I haven't seen it myself, but I know it's out there,” said area resident Ronald Lucas.
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Lucas drives this section of the Turnpike through Hempfield Township often and says he hopes the demand goes down if the product is off the streets.
"It's good news,” he said. “More and more you're seeing younger people are getting into it now and they need to get out of it."
One hundred and fifty bricks is 8,000 stamp bags, or a street value of $80,000.
Channel 11 has been closely following the crackdown on heroin, including another huge arrest in June in New Stanton, where police say $75,000 worth of heroin was coming from the Dominican Republic and made its way on the "pipeline" from Philadelphia, funneling drugs right into our community.
"And we believe these two individuals have been moving heroin into our area for a little while,” said Pennsylvania State Trooper Steven Limani, “Trying to create a larger operation and grow some roots."