"And by now those two punks have probably decided that Martians are moving in on the crack trade."

A decade later, the violence of the crack trade has burned out, and murder rates have plunged.

Some officials involved in the investigation maintain, however, that the weak economy has little to do with the crack trade's migration to the neighborhoods.

Both gangs managed to draw everyone around them into the crack trade, as customers, dealers or victims.

But, in a departure from the current norm, the police said they did not think the murders had anything to do with the crack trade.

Two years ago, this corner was home to a thriving crack trade.

But the main answer lies in the same price shift that made the crack trade less violent.

But if the effort has won some battles, victory in the war on the crack trade remains elusive.

There is, he said, still a flourishing crack trade in the area.

All three had apparently been engaged in the crack trade.