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Luzerne County Children and Youth license downgrade continued

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Michael Scavone’s attorneys seek to quash blood alcohol test results

<p>HAZLETON &#8212; Three men are facing an array of felony drug charges after a three-month-long investigation led to the bust of a quater-million-dollar drug ring, police announced Friday.</p><p>At a press conference at City Hall, Hazleton Police Chief Jerry Speziale said officers arrested Gahzi Faraj 25, of Hazleton, and Luis Batista, 29, of Tamaqua, after the department&#8217;s narcotics unit executed a search warrant at approximately 1:40 p.m. Thursday at Faraj&#8217;s home at 805 James St., seizing a &#8220;large quanity of heroin and crack cocaine.&#8221;</p><p>Speziale said a third man allegedly involved, Christopher Furlani, 44, of Hazleton, was arrested Friday at a different location.</p><p>According to reports, police seized approximately 500 grams of raw heroin, over $10,000 in cash, two money counters, 11 cell phones, a FoodSaver vacuum sealing machine, vacuum sealing bags, rubber bands and two large SolarStorm LED grow lights.</p><p>The evidence was placed on a large table at the press conference in an effort to display what Speziale said is the &#8220;fight against drugs in Hazleton.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;Thanks to the hard work of the departments involved, we were able to get these individuals off the streets,&#8221; Speziale said.</p><p>According to police affidavits, during the third week of March, investigators met with a confidential informant who said they had been buying heroin for approximately one month from two men at Faraj&#8217;s residence, and indicated they could obtain a brick of heroin for $125 from the same source.</p><p>While conducting surveillance, police said, they observed the informant purchase the brick of heroin from a blue Honda Accord owned by Faraj. A detective recognized Faraj from previous drug arrests and the police began watching Faraj&#8217;s residence, where the informant continued to purchase heroin in April and May.</p><p>According to arrest papers, Batista fled the residence when police made entry, while Faraj allegedly threw several bags of presumed narcotics out the window.</p><p>The two men were arrested, and an unidentified woman also was detained.</p><p>Both men were arraigned Thursday by Magisterial District Judge James M. Dixon.</p><p>Faraj faces four counts of manufacture, delivery or possession of a controlled substance, five counts criminal use of a communications facility and one count of conspiracy to manufacture, possess or deliver a controlled substance. He&#8217;s being held at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for failure to post $250,000 bail.</p><p>Batista was charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and remains jailed for lack of $5,000 bail</p><p>Furlani is also being held pending formal charges. Police say they expect more arrests as a result of the investigation.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Hazleton Police Chief Jerry Speziale holds a press conference on Friday about a recent drug bust in the city. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_drugbust04.jpg</photo0><caption0>Hazleton Police Chief Jerry Speziale holds a press conference on Friday about a recent drug bust in the city. </caption0><photoCredit0>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_drugbust03.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Drugs and money seized by Hazleton police on Thursday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_drugbust03.jpg</photo1><caption1>Drugs and money seized by Hazleton police on Thursday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Matt Powell</p><p>mpowell@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Matt Powell by phone at 570-991-6390 or on Twitter @TLnews</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Hazleton police announce 3 arrests in raid of alleged drug trafficking ring