Eight people were arrested and one suspect remains at large after a drug investigation in Huntingdon County.

More than three dozen officers and agents hit the streets at dawn Wednesday in search of the nine suspects who were targeted after months of investigating.

The suspects who were arrested were escorted in handcuffs then arraigned on a total of more than 30 drug-related charges.

Agent James Walstrom of the Attorney General's Office said, "They're tied together, they know each other, they operate together in their drug trade so we can't just pick one up without someone calling another individual. Generally we have to do them all at the same time."


A ban on bath salts and K2 has helped with the crackdown on those drugs' distribution, but police said they are seeing resurgence in the sale and use of harder street drugs.


"We have some prescription pills, crack cocaine. Recently we've had an influx of heroin dealers. Last raid dealt a lot with the heroin," said Huntingdon County District Attorney George Zanic.

Zanic said every summer, officials get tips and work to track down new people getting involved in the illegal drug business. He said police are keeping a close eye on rural areas, where some people still think they'll be able to do business. Officials said that usually leads to other crimes like retail theft because mid-level dealers need money to support their habit.

Investigators said it's important for the community to get drug dealers off the streets. Anyone with information about suspected drug crimes is asked to call police.