A suspected drug dealer and two alleged drug buyers were arrested Tuesday afternoon by Essex County sheriff’s detectives.
Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that officers from his department’s Bureau of Narcotics staged a plainclothes surveillance operation yesterday near the intersection of Frelinghuysen Avenue and Whitter Place in Newark.
“Here, our detectives observed a suspect, later identified as Shariek Morgan, 21 of Newark, loitering in front of 701 Frelinghuysen Avenue,” Sheriff Fontoura said.
Morgan was soon approached by Luis Vazquez, 63, of Colonia, who had arrived at the scene in a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu.
After a brief conversation between the two suspects, Morgan walked to the side of the building and removed items from inside black plastic bag that had been secreted behind a wrought iron gate. Morgan then exchanged the items with Vazquez for cash.
Vazquez was followed from the scene, according to Fontoura. During a subsequent motor vehicle stop, he was found to be in possession of four heroin-filled glassine envelopes, stamped “NORTHFACE” in black ink. At this point, Vazquez was placed under arrest.
Back at the scene, the sheriff’s BON detectives moved in and detained Morgan.
The black plastic bag was found to contain an additional 138 decks of heroin and 10 grams of ‘crack’ cocaine,’ the sheriff said. “Our officers also confiscated $26 in cash from Morgan.
During Morgan’s arrest, another suspect at the scene, Johnathan Quaterman, 48 of Newark, tossed a single heroin-filled envelope to the ground. He was also placed under arrest.
Morgan was charged with 8 criminal counts, including the sale, possession and intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances.
Vazquez and Quarterman were each charged with possession of CDS. Vazquez was additionally issued a summons for transporting CDS in a motor vehicle.
All three suspects were lodged at the Essex County jail where they await a bail hearing on Tuesday’s charges.