Crime & Safety
'Plume Of Smoke' Came From Car Before Mass Pike Drug Arrest
State police pulled over a Boston man along the Mass Pike in Auburn recently, later charging him with drug possession.
AUBURN, MA — State police arrested a Boston man for drug possession after a traffic stop along the Mass Pike recently — but the driver may have given himself away before troopers even met him, according to a police account.
The incident happened just after midnight on Sept. 15 near the Mass Pike and I-290 interchange south of Worcester. Police pulled the man — identified as Matthew Derat, 20 — over because of his window tints and loud exhaust pipe.
As a trooper was approaching the car, the driver rolled the window down, and that's when the trooper "observed a large plume of smoke emanate from within the vehicle," police said in a news release.
Find out what's happening in Worcesterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Police say they found the synthetic opioid fentanyl, cocaine and heroin in the car — and about 700 grams of suspected marijuana. There was also about $5,000 in cash in the car, police said.
Derat was arrested and charged with drug trafficking, possession of drugs with intent to distribute and having illegal window tints.
Find out what's happening in Worcesterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
