A Clairton man is behind bars after police said he sold 160 bricks of drugs to a confidential informant in West Newton and took $30,750 to settle drug debts, according to court papers.
Ismail A. Hamlin, 28, is facing numerous drug and weapons violations in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties as well as a charge of dealing in proceeds of unlawful acts.
Authorities from both counties, Penn Township and the state Attorney General’s Office worked together to make the arrest. The confidential informant set up seven meetings between October and January with Hamlin in West Newton, during which they either exchanged drugs or cash to settle a drug debt, according to court papers.
Police served a search warrant last week at Hamlin’s home and found hundreds of bricks of fentanyl, five guns, ammunition and nearly $20,000, according to the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office. Investigators said they seized a total of 478 bricks of fentanyl during the investigation, which amounts to nearly 24,000 individual stamp bags.
Hamlin was denied bail in both cases. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records. Preliminary hearings are set for Tuesday in Allegheny and Feb. 10 in Westmoreland.
