Police Say New Stanton Hotel Attracting Heroin Users, Dealers

NEW STANTON (KDKA) – Navin Chandra Patel owns the Budget Inn in New Stanton.

It's a place where residents and police say heroin dealers deliver their product and customers use it.

When asked if heroin is being dealt at the hotel, Patel said authorities are looking into it.

"That we have to figure out more deeply, to find out with police and me," Patel said.

The situation is so bad that New Stanton is considering ways to close the low rent hotel.

Patel, who's owned the business for 20 years, says police have made drug busts in the past, but says there's only so much he can do.

"They should not be selling drugs," he said. "This is not right."

"If they come and they go in the room, we don't know what they are doing," he added.

New Stanton Council President talked about the future of the establishment.

No one wants to see a business shut down. They say it's not the business that's a problem, but the transients.

Patel says he wants the problem taken care of too – agreeing that the transients, or "visitors," are a problem.

"I actually want to stop the visitors, whatever damage to my business I don't care," he said. "No visitors allowed."

He says he will also fully cooperate with police.

"They can check, no problem," he said. "They can check if they want."

Patel says he understands there are concerns over his hotel and says there are other hotels in the area that police have kept an eye on as well.