Drug Bust Outside Dollar Store In Newark, Suspect Tries To Flush Evidence: Police

Authorities arrested three Newark men on multiple narcotics charges on Wednesday after allegedly witnessing a drug deal outside a local dollar store.

According to the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, prior to executing a search warrant for the 99 Cent Zone discount store on Clinton Avenue in Newark, police witnessed the three men “rotate in shifts” on the street outside the store.

Shortly after 1 p.m., a female approached one of the men – James Harris, 48 – and engaged him in a brief conversation, police stated.

Another man - Fabian Daniels, 51 – spoke to the third man - Clifton Darby, 46.

Soon afterwards, Darby exited the store with a small package which he exchanged with the woman for cash, police said.

Believing they had just witnessed a narcotics transaction, the officers announced their presence.

At that time, Darby took off running into a “fortified” back room in the store and locked the door behind him, police stated.

“It took a full five minutes to ram the door open,” Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said. “All the while, our officers could hear the continuous flushing of a toilet.”

According to police, when the officers finally gained access to the back room, they observed Darby flushing narcotics down the toilet bowl.

Police subsequently recovered 27 bags of marijuana and an assortment of drug packaging and processing paraphernalia.

Darby was also found to be in possession of five glassine envelopes containing heroin, authorities stated.

Police charged Daniels and Harris with possession of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS), possession of CDS with intent to distribute, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of Louis Spencer School, possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 500 feet of Jesse Allen Park, conspiracy to violate New Jersey’s narcotics laws, maintenance of fortified premises and possession of narcotics paraphernalia.

In addition to the above, Darby was also charged with a second count of possession of CDS and hindering apprehension.

Darby bail was set at $40,000 while a $30,000 bail was imposed on both Harris and Daniels.

All three suspects were remanded to the county jail.