NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 717.255.3040

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
25 August 2003

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CRACKPIPES CONFISCATED FROM CITY CONVENIENCE MARKETS & STORES

Harrisburg, PA—Mayor Stephen R. Reed today reported that more than 25,000 crackpipes and related paraphernalia were confiscated from 42 city convenience and neighborhood stores during a citywide raid conducted last Friday. The raids were the result of an intensive undercover investigation conducted over the past month by city police, in response to neighborhood complaints about the illegal sales. Charges are pending against the owners of the properties raided.

Reed said plainclothes police officers twice went into each of the stores that were raided and specifically asked the clerks working behind the counters for a crackpipe. The clerks then provided the officers with the glass vials, screening and small plastic baggies that are fairly used exclusively in the crack cocaine trade. Sales of the materials are prohibited under state law.

The Mayor said the investigation and subsequent raids resulted from numerous citizen complaints about the practice. In many instances, drug dealers would wait outside the stores and then approach the paraphernalia buyers when they exited the stores.

“There is clear evidence that the stores and their employees were knowingly engaging in the sales of drug Paraphernalia, despite long- standing laws outlawing such, and well aware of what it was going to be used for,” said Mayor Reed. “This irresponsible behavior encourages and facilitates the illegal drug trade, and future violators will be dealt with most severely.”

Reed said the raids were conducted by city police last Friday afternoon, operating in teams comprised of police officers and Dauphin County Probation and Parole officers. The raids occurred in every section of the city, including several in the downtown area. Officers confiscated the targeted materials that were both on display and in storage, including small glass vials with roses inside, scouring pads used for screening, and the small plasticine baggies that are used for distributing crack cocaine.

The Mayor said charges are pending against all of the storeowners, including some that are suspected of having directly engaged in or permitted drug sales.

XXX