Northampton County Seizes $156K in Drug Money

In the last year, drug dealers in the Nazareth area helped raise $10,000 for .

Of course, they never intended to do that. But when police seized the proceeds from their drug sales, that money went to drug forfeiture and seizure program, which collected more than $156,000 for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

"We want to make sure drug use and drug dealing in Northampton County is very unprofitable," District Attorney John Morganelli said Tuesday at a news conference announcing the seizures.

Under state law, prosecutors can seize money, cars, real estate and other property that's either used to facilitate the sale of illegal drugs or results from those sales.

Since starting the program in 1992, the county has seized more than $1.6 million, a figure that represents both cash and proceeds from selling off seized vehicles.

Some years have been better than others; it all depends on how much police seize during the year. , it's highest amount ever.

Morganelli said this past year was "one of the better years we've had... in the top two or three."

Some of that money pays the salary of one of the county's prosecutors, and to help train police officers.

It also helps various local police departments and community groups. This year, that list included:

• Colonial Regional Police: $10,000
• Tatamy Police: $5,000
• : $1,000
• Easton Block Watch: $1,500
• : $2,500
• Northampton Community College's : $5,000
• Bethlehem Area School District Police: $2,000
• Bethlehem Police: $10,000
• Easton Police: $10,000
• Lehigh Township Police: $1,100
• Roseto Police: $5,000
• East Bangor Police: $1,000
• Pennsylvania State Police: $500

Morganelli acknowledged there's a disparity among the different amounts.

"We return large sums to those departments because they bring the money in," he said.

Colonial Regional Police has about 20 officers assigned to the Northampton County Drug Task Force. That includes Det. Sgt. Mike Melinsky, who is the field supervisor for the northern tier of Northampton County.

Other municipalities request funding. He said virtually every community in the county has benefited from the program at one time or another.

Editor's Note: The first version of this article mistakenly reported that $154,000, instead of $156,000, was collected for the 2011-2012 fiscal year. The error has been corrected.