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13 People Charged In Alleged Major Heroin-Trafficking Ring

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- The Bucks County district attorney announced Wednesday afternoon the charges of more than a dozen people behind an alleged major heroin-trafficking ring.

Matthew Weintraub said the organization was allegedly run by three brothers from a remote family compound in Richland Township. Two of the brothers -- Sheamus Patrick McCarthy, 27, and Casey James McCarthy, 22 -- were arrested this week. The other brother has been identified as Thomas McCarthy.

"This is an absolute shock. They had to have been doing it away from their home," said neighbor Rita Homsher.

Neighbors said they found it hard to believe the brothers were involved in such an elaborate heroin operation.

The ring allegedly did almost $1 million in annual business and sold between 200 and 400 bundles of heroin per week.

"Heroin kills. It has no redeeming value. It's poison," Weintraub said at a news conference this afternoon in Doylestown. "And those who peddle this poison to our citizens – to our children – must be incapacitated."

He continued, "When they would go to buy the heroin from their supplier in Philadelphia, they would take not one, but two cars. The second car being a decoy car in case the first car containing the heroin aroused any police suspicion. The decoy car would follow closely behind and would violate traffic laws in some way and would draw and lure the police."

Thirteen defendants have been charged in the alleged heroin ring following a nine-month grand jury investigation. They have been charged with running or participating in a corrupt organization, along with extensive drug-related felonies and misdemeanors.

Bail has been set as high as $15 million and as low as $5 million for those allegedly involved.

The heroin allegedly came from Antoine Hakim "Twan" Harris, a longtime supplier in West Philadelphia, and flowed through a multi-layered enterprise of fraternal overseers, drivers, dealers, sub-dealers and users in Upper Bucks County.

The grand jury concluded the crimes "led to widespread addiction among young citizens of the Quakertown area," caused numerous overdoses and endangered the lives of many others.

While authorities alleged the three brothers and the others charged we're bringing in $1 million a year from this heroin operation, they have not been able to seize any money or drugs so far.

The district attorney admits this will certainly be a hard case to prove, as the bulk of the case will rest on witness testimony.

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