A Baltimore cop attends the trial of a drug dealer, a case that has far-reaching implications for both sides of the law.

When a witness who testified against D'Angelo Barksdale is discovered murdered, McNulty and the detail take the opportunity to link the killing to Avon Barksdale's drugs crew.

The detail finally puts a face to the name Avon, whose gang takes a humiliating hit at the hands of an infamous stick-up guy.

The team's raids prove wholly unsuccessful. McNulty cannot convince any of the suspects to give up Barksdale, and Bodie manages to escape from lock-up.

When the detail discover that Barksdale's drug crew uses pagers to communicate, McNulty becomes determined to get hold of one to listen in on the organisation.

The politicians want arrests, but McNulty holds out, desperate for a wire-tap to get hard evidence against the Barksdale outfit. Meanwhile, Omar decides to testify after seeing the body of his murdered lover.