Man Had Hundreds Of Empty Heroin Packets, Sparta Police Say

SPARTA, NJ — A Long Valley man had hundred of empty wax folds of heroin during a traffic stop, Sparta police said.

Daniel Gaeta, 30, of Long Valley, was arrested on Dec. 4 after Sparta Lt. John Lamon said police found hundreds of empty wax folds of heroin and an active warrant for his arrest.

Gaeta was pulled over on Rt, 15 in Sparta for a broken headline and an expired inspection sticker, Lamon said. Gaeta allegedly told officers he was undergoing treatment for heroin addiction.

After police saw an active warrant for Gaeta out of Essex County, they asked him to step out of the car. Lamon said police saw an empty fold of heroin on the floor, and Gaeta allegedly said it was probably empty and he had more empty folds and syringes in his backpack. A search of the backpack turned up hundreds of empty folds, Lamon said.

Gaeta was arrested and charged with having a controlled dangerous substance in a car, possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of hypodermic needles.

He was taken to Keogh Dwyer Correctional Facility to be taken in on the Essex County warrant.

Sparta Lt. John Lamon said it's not unusual for addicts to save empty wax folds.

"Many addicts will save their empty wax packets of heroin in the event they run out of heroin. They will scrape or lick the empty bags to get any residual heroin powder from the bags to try and avoid getting dope sick," Lamon said.

Image via Karen Wall