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<p>HAZLETON &#8212; City police said they helped bust a major heroin and fentanyl manufacturing operation and arrested two people, including a man they referred to as a &#8220;drug kingpin.&#8221;</p><p>Manuel Dejesus Luna-Bautista, 37, and Yamilka Hernandez-Sanchez, 36, both of Hazleton, were arrested at around 10 a.m. Friday. </p><p>The arrests were part of a coordinated effort, taking place simultaneously at two locations in the city.</p><p>Luna-Bautista was taken into custody while getting out of his Hummer at the corner of Third and Carson streets. Hernandez-Sanchez was arrested while allegedly packaging heroin at a distribution operation in a home at 1003 Alter St.</p><p>A location at 321 E. Mine St. was also raided.</p><p>Authorities say they found a &#8220;large quantity&#8221; of guns and removed around 300 total grams of what they suspect to be fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine from the two homes. </p><p>Luna-Bautista was found to be in possession of $1,100 in cash, which was seized along with his vehicle.</p><p>Police say the two were set to be arraigned before a federal magistrate in Wilkes-Barre later Friday.</p><p>Hazleton&#8217;s mayor, Jeff Cusat, praised the work by police in a press release.</p><p>&#8220;Think about the amount of lives that will probably be saved and the amount of violence that&#8217;s prevented by shutting this operation down in our city,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I am proud of the men and women that place their lives on the line every day across this country and our city to make it safer.&#8221;</p><p>Luna-Bautista and Hernandez-Sanchez will both be facing federal drug trafficking charges, conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine, possession of those drugs, maintaining a drug distribution premise and other federal charges.</p><p>Their arrests came after an 18-month investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration&#8217;s Scranton office in conjunction with Hazleton Police, State Police and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_Hernandez-Sanchez-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Hernandez-Sanchez </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_Hernandez-Sanchez-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Hernandez-Sanchez </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_Illegal-Drugs-Seized-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Here are some of the drugs that police say they seized Friday in Hazleton. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_Illegal-Drugs-Seized-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Here are some of the drugs that police say they seized Friday in Hazleton. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_Luna-Bautista-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Luna-Bautista </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_Luna-Bautista-1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Luna-Bautista </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Two arrested in ‘major’ heroin, fentanyl bust in Hazleton