102 arrested across city in massive narcotics raid

Philadelphia narcotics cops have dropped the hammer yesterday on two notorious drug gangs that have been at each other's throats for months.

After four murders and a spate of shootings linked to the warring factions battling for dominance in a West Kensington neighborhood, police yesterday moved into place their narcotics field-unit team.

Two weeks' worth of intelligence work culminated in a series of daylong raids and arrests.

By late last night, 94 search warrants had been served, 102 people arrested, including 10 juveniles, and more than $698,000 worth of drugs, cash and guns confiscated.

When cops swarmed a house on Kip Street near Tioga, they found a dogfighting ring, including one champion pit bull and three other dogs that cops referred to as "chew dogs" because they were used for training for the big dog.

Also found was a wooden treadmill, which was marked on the side: "Red River Curley Quality Treadmills." It and other devices were used to get the dogs in fighting shape, said Deputy Commissioner William Blackburn at a news conference at the 25th Police District headquarters, Whitaker Avenue near Erie.

Narcotics Inspector Bob Snyder said 21 weapons had been confiscated, including sawed-off shotguns and rifles. He noted that yesterday's crackdown was just one in a series of raids that police, FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration agents have conducted throughout the city over the past several months.

"If we haven't been to one section of the city, we're coming," he said. "If we've been to your section of the city, we'll be coming back."

Police noted some heroin packets bore the name of President-elect Barack Obama. Blackburn said that many dealers use movie titles, or names of actors and politicians to identify their brands.

Blackburn said he believes that the arrests and the drug and weapon seizures has left the warring drug gangs devastated. *