'Operation Black Tar' busts 27 Allegheny, Beaver drug dealers
By The Tribune-Review

Monday, July 2, 2007

The state Attorney General's office this morning announced the arrest of 27 suspected drug dealers, including 10 Mexican illegal aliens, who distributed black tar heroin in Allegheny and Beaver counties.

The dealers, led by Mexican national Julio Ramierez-Garcia organized the drug ring in early 2006, according to Attorney General Tom Corbett's office.

For the next 13 to 14 months, illegal Mexican nationals operated as black tar heroin couriers, while other non-Mexican residents of the region sold the drug, according to Corbett's office.

Black tar heroin is named because of its gummy, tar-like consistency and usually is packaged in rubber balloons. Like powdered heroin, the drug can be injected or smoked. It is prevalent in cities on the West Coast and border states such as Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.

Agents from the Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and officers from police departments throughout the region made the arrests, according to Corbett's office.

The suspects will be arraigned by District Judge James DiBenedetto in Aliquippa.

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