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Date: 1/14/2016
HOLYOKE – Another 1,800 bags of heroin are off the streets of the Paper City.
Lt. James Albert told Reminder Publications the seizure was “among the largest in the last couple of years.”
Despite the 1,800 bags taken by Holyoke law enforcement and the recent bust in Springfield of 9,000 bags, Albert said the money to be made by selling heroin attracts dealers to fill the void of the ones who are arrested.
“There is so much demand,” Albert said of heroin. “These dealers will kill each other to get your business.”
While the bust in Holyoke and Springfield are large, he noted that everything is relative and the seizures made by the Drug Enforcement Agency are many times larger.
He also called the effort to stop heroin truly a “war.”
On Jan. 7, the Holyoke Police Narcotics Vice Unit, led by Captain David Pratt and Sergeant Daniel Reardon – assisted by The Hampden County Narcotics Task Force, the FBI’s Western Mass. Gang Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – executed two search warrants at 3:10 PM at # 50 West St.t 2L and # 50 West S. 2R.
According to Albert, “These warrants were based on an investigation into the recent heroin overdoses in the region and resulted in a large seizure of heroin and cocaine as well as several other types of pills. Additionally, eight arrests were made.”
The heroin bags were stamped “Drop dead.”
Also seized was a large amount of cocaine, crack cocaine and a small amount of marijuana along with various prescription drugs including Alprazolam, Lorezepam, Methadone, Suboxone, Naloxone and Oxycodone.
Those arrested on drug charges were Jose Rivera of Springfield, Adalberto Camacho of Holyoke, Emmanuel Soto of Springfield, Miguel Robles of Holyoke, Maribel Roman of Holyoke, Osmo Caraballo-Cruz of Holyoke and Izaida Gonzalez of Holyoke.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez of Holyoke was arrested on open and gross and disorderly Conduct because “he decided to expose himself to the large group of Detectives in view of many residents in the area” as the officer were preparing the search warrants, Albert explained.