Essex County Cops Make 2 Large Drug Seizures In Newark

NEWARK, NJ — The Essex County Sheriff’s Office recently made two large drug seizures in Newark. One arrest took place at a “known drug trafficking location.” Another involved 40 pounds of marijuana, authorities said.

HEROIN, CRACK-COCAINE SEIZED

On Sunday morning, plainclothes detectives from the narcotics bureau carried out a surveillance operation at the intersection of Halsey and West Kinney streets in downtown Newark, a “known drug trafficking location,” the sheriff’s department said.

Officers saw a Buick sedan drove through the area multiple times. The driver stopped several times to engage in brief conversations with people on foot who were “loitering” nearby, ending the encounters by “exchanging cash for items,” police said.

When police announced their presence, the driver – later identified as Dashawn Martin, 29, of Hillside – refused to exit the car. He then stuffed several items into a false compartment hidden behind the car’s radio, police said.

Officers ordered Martin to exit the vehicle and searched the compartment, finding 800 heroin-filled glassine envelopes, 155 plastic jugs with crack-cocaine and a loaded, 9mm Taurus handgun with a high-capacity magazine, authorities said. Police also seized $302 from Martin.

The estimated street value of the narcotics is $10,000, the sheriff’s department said.

Martin was charged with the unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon while committing a narcotics crime, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, possession of a large-capacity ammunition magazine and obstruction of the administration of law. He was also charged with two counts each of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, and possession of CDS with intention to distribute within 1,000 feet of Boys Chorus Academy.

Martin was transported to the Essex County Correctional Facility to await a bail hearing, authorities said.

MARIJUANA ARREST

On Friday, detectives from the Essex County Sheriff’s Office conducted a pre-dawn raid at a woman’s apartment in Newark.

Officers executed a search warrant at an apartment on Harding Terrace, finding two large, black plastic garbage bags filled with 40 pounds of marijuana. Police estimated the street value of the cannabis at $180,000.

The resident of the apartment, Daniell Lynnique Easton, 30, was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of CDS with intent to distribute.

Easton was transported to the Essex County Correctional Facility to await a bail hearing, authorities said.

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