32 arrested in suburban Philadelphia drug ring

NORRISTOWN, Pa. -- Nearly three dozen people have been arrested in the Philadelphia area in connection with a drug ring that had ties to Colombia.

Authorities announced the 32 arrests Wednesday and said they seized 12.5 ounces of crystal methamphetamine, 20 ounces of cocaine, eight guns, five vehicles and more than $44,000 following the arrests.

The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office says it learned last year that a heroin trafficking investigation in Colombia had possible links to Pennsylvania.

The first piece of the puzzle involved heroin, allegedly coming from a phone conversation - recorded in Columbia - that lead to one suspect, Michael Daly.

He allegedly had dealings with another Norristown man, Angelo Betancourt.

Then Bucks County detectives sent new information.

"On the trafficking of crystal meth in Montgomery County, specifically in Norristown," said D.A. Risa Vetri Ferman.

That lead to Douglas Ehrhart and Charles Termine, also of Norristown.

The DA says it was first thought it was two different enterprises, but phone records showed otherwise.

"In the analysis of cell phone records, separately on these, our detectives found links," said Ferman.

A third piece of the puzzle came in a call to the D.A. from a man upset over what crystal meth had done to a loved one.

"I put him in touch with the narcotics unit, and he had enough information we were able to ID the meth supplier at Douglas Ehrhart," said Ferman.

D.A. says the resulting arrests of the four Norristown men produced guns, drugs, money and a small bottle of horse tranquilizer - to be used with heroin.

"These people do not care what they are putting into our community, a horse tranquilizer being used as a cutting agent," Ferman said.