The men come to Burlington because they know there is a market for what they have to sell. At first, Burlington addicts drove to Massachusetts to buy their drugs, but when rumors circulated about the money to be made in Burlington, it brought an influx of dealers to the Green Mountain State, Smith said. You can use it to ensnare and hold anyone. When the dealers moved to Vermont, they found bevies of young girls from broken homes, like Christal Jones. The men are exotic, and the girls like that.
Some local girls are especially attracted to men with black or brown skin, observers say.
Others are drawn by fancy cars Jeeps with tinted windows and gold-trimmed BMWs. Hooking young girls on heroin is easy it only takes a few hits. The high will never be that good again. Some addicts, after injecting heroin in their toes, in the backs of their legs, or in their arms will suck the resulting drops of blood for the drug's telltale bitter taste. Quitting means about a week of agony.