NEW GARDEN — After tips from the public led to an undercover operation and a two-month investigation township police announced Monday that they had arrested and charged three local residents with various charges related to allegedly operating an illegal drug sales operation out of a Baltimore Pike home.
Police said they executed a search warrant on Oct. 16,in the early morning hours, at 947 Baltimore Pike for drugs, paraphernalia and other material related to alleged drug sales coming from the aforementioned location. The warrant was obtained at the conclusion of a two-month investigation involving the following law enforcement agencies, the New Garden Township Police, Kennett Square Borough Police, Chester County Detectives Office and members of the Chester County Municipal Drug Task Force who were on-hand to assist in this endeavor.
The three charged were: Andrew Kriegh, 32, Paul Hannum, 21 and Gloria Kriegh, 57.
Township police say they launched an investigation after several anonymous tips were received warning about the sale and distribution of illegal narcotics from the Baltimore Pike residence.
Additionally, the information identified two brothers as being involved in the drug sales; Andrew Kriegh and Paul Hannum, police said. During the investigation, police conducted an undercover operation, which they said resulted in several successful purchases of illegal drugs from the defendants at their residence. Based on this information, investigators successfully obtained a search warrant for defendants’ residence.
Police officers from the aforementioned departments executed the early morning search warrant without incident. During the search, authorities said, investigators located and seized illegal drugs and other material used to support the defendants’ drug distribution operation. Undisclosed amounts of prescription medication, marijuana, suspected LSD and MONA, yet to be identified drugs, packaging materials, digital scales, and paraphernalia were reportedly recovered.
Andrew Kriegh and Paul Hannum were both charged with multiple counts of Possession with the Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Controlled substance and related offenses. Andrew Kriegh and Paul Hannum were charged and arraigned before Magisterial District Justice Matt Seavey; they were remanded to Chester County Prison after failing to post bail.
Gloria Kriegh who is the mother to the other two suspects was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; she was released pending a preliminary hearing.
Township Chief of Police Gerald Simpson said he and his department appreciated the role that the public played — in tipping off authorities — in making this arrest possible. He also offered thanks to the other law enforcement agencies that helped the investigation.
‘These types of investigations are extremely important and time-consuming; we greatly appreciate the public’s efforts and patience as we took the necessary steps to arrest these subjects who were making our community unsafe,” Simpson said.
