When Camden police set up a sting for purchasers of illegal drugs in thecity's Lanning Square section, they might not have realized the Tuesdaynight undercover operation would so easily highlight a problem for manystruggling urban areas: suburban drug addiction.The numbers easily told a tale of how those living in suburbs ofareas like Camden and North Philadelphia often fuel the ever-fluid drugtrade. Thirty-five of the 49 people busted by undercover officers posingas drug dealers for allegedly trying to buy drugs traveled into Camdenfrom surrounding counties."The suburban drug buyers are the life blood to our open-air drugmarket epidemic, and we will continue to aggressively target theseoffenders," Camden police Chief John Thomson said. "By sharing thearrest intelligence with our law enforcement partners, hopefully thesesuspects can be interdicted prior to crossing into our city to commitfurther offenses."Those arrested were charged with loitering to commit a controlleddangerous substances offense. They face up to a $1,000 fine and sixmonths in jail. Those 35 people came from the suburbs of Camden,Gloucester, Burlington and Atlantic Counties, according to the listprovided by the city."Whether you live in the suburbs or in Camden, last night'sundercover operations should send a clear message that we will nottolerate these behaviors deteriorate our neighborhoods andquality of life," Camden Mayor Dana Redd said.
