An alleged female member of the Crips street gang was arrested Thursday night at her North Ward apartment in connection with multiple drug charges filed against her.
Police arrived at 356 North 5th Street, knocked and announced their presence in the ground floor entry to the multi-family residence. Ms. Edda Vasquez, 37, the target of the investigation, simultaneously appeared on her second floor balcony and quickly retreated into her apartment.
Fearing destruction of evidence, the task force officers made a forced entry into the building and into the upstairs apartment.
Officers there reportedly watched as Vasquez tossed a clear plastic bag - containing 20 grams of ‘crack’ cocaine - onto her kitchen floor.
Police place Ms. Vasquez under arrest after a search found her in possession of cash which was confiscated.
The sheriff added that an orderly search of the apartment was conducted. In the dining room, detectives discovered and seized an additional 19 grams of “crack”, 35 plastic jugs filled with ‘crack’ cocaine and an assortment of drug packaging processing materials and $2,000 in cash.
A shoebox in the bedroom was found to contain 20 films of Suboxone and 33 Endocet tablets.
"Apparently, this mini-drug store was catering to multiple tastes,” Sheriff Armando Fontoura noted.
The estimated street value of the narcotics seized is approximately $4,500.
Authorities charged Vasquez with three counts each of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of William H. Horton School and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of Branch Brook Park.
Police also charged her and with one count of the possession of narcotics paraphernalia.
Vasquez was lodged at the Essex County jail where she awaits a bail hearing on the charges.