Hazleton City Operation Alliance

​On December 7th 2018, Operation Alliance was conducted through the Luzerne County District Attorney’s office, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, FBI, DEA, State Attorney General’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, many local departments, and Hazleton City Police.

"We aren't gonna' tolerate the crime that's going on in Hazleton. We will come together and we will make sure that our community's safe. That our residents are safe." Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said at the press conference.

The operation started around 2pm and continued until around 9pm. It involved 60 police/citizen encounters, including assisting with a fentanyl overdose, 16 arrests, 5 outstanding warrants, and 4 possession with intent charges.

Several hundred pills, 10 grams of marijuana, multiple bundles of fentanyl and heroin, and meth were taken off of the streets. Seven vehicles were impounded, one was discovered to have been stolen out of Philadelphia.

"I hope the message is clear that if you come here to buy drugs, if you come here to sell drugs, if you come here to break the law, you're coming to the wrong city." Chief Jerry Speciale stated.

Mayor Cusat says the operation has been being planned for a few weeks after incidents on July 4th and October 31st. "Enough was enough. We reached out. We've been planning this operation for a few weeks now and it all came together tonight in pretty big numbers."