Heroin Bust Leads To Almost 2 Dozen Arrests

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A big undercover bust led to almost two dozen arrests in west Baltimore. Authorities say it's part of their continuing crackdown on drug gangs in areas that have seen surges in violence.

Investigator Mike Hellgren has more on the battle against guns and drugs in Baltimore.

A major joint investigation involving city, state and federal law enforcement targeted drug dealers in some of the most violent streets of west Baltimore leading to those indictments. Investigators tell WJZ members of the unnamed drug organization sold heroin to undercover officers more than 30 times.

The sting centered on the intersection of North Pulaski Street and Edmondson Avenue.

"Drug dealers, all day long," said Ty, who lives in the area. "I was [surprised]. That's a good thing."

Twenty-one people face federal and state indictments. The operation unfolded between September 2015 and this January. Many drug transactions took place just feet from an elementary school.

"They're dealing in front of kids. They're going to make kids do that type of stuff," said Dana Sutton.

"There are a lot of moving parts to be able to pull off some of the cases that we work," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bill McMullen. "We have our informants on the street, sources of information that we get."

The feds say many of the men they arrested had violent backgrounds including convictions for conspiracy to commit murder, assault and armed carjacking.

It's part of a bigger push to wipe out drug gangs and stop the flow of illegal guns into the city, an issue WJZ covered extensively after violence that led Baltimore to its highest per capita murder rate in history last year---but some here say when one dealer is arrested, another is ready to take his place on the corner.

"Drugs are in all the neighborhoods. It might help but it's only going to help us so much," said one man.

"It's continuing and for us, we have to continue doing what we're doing to stop it," McMullen said.

On WJZ Sunday, a special edition of CBS Sunday Morning will tackle the issue of "Guns and America." It airs at 9 a.m.