Newark Men Arrested With Hundreds Of Heroin, Crack and Alprazolam Doses

NEWARK, NJ — Essex County sheriff’s officers arrested two Newark men on Monday after allegedly catching them with hundreds of doses of heroin, crack-cocaine and Alprazolam, authorities say.

According to the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Narcotics officers conducted a plainclothes surveillance operation at the intersection of Newark’s South 18th Street and 14th Avenue at noon on Monday in response to “complaints of open-air drug trafficking in the area.”

During the operation, officers allegedly saw Johnal Andrews, 35, and Alonzo McMiller, 30, both of Newark, “loitering in front of 444 South 18th Street,” authorities said.

Soon, a 52-year-old East Orange man in a Jeep Cherokee arrived on the scene, and after a brief conversation, Andrews allegedly walked over to a parked Oldsmobile Alero, removed items from the car’s center console and exchanged them with the man for cash, police stated.

Officers followed the alleged buyer from the scene and conducted a motor vehicle stop, during which he surrendered four heroin-filled glassine envelopes stamped “PASSION” in red ink. Police arrested the man and charged him with possession of CDS, authorities said.

When detectives moved in to further investigate Andrews and McMiller, Andrews attempted to run from the scene on foot, police stated.

Officers apprehended him after a brief foot chase through backyards in the area, authorities said.

During a search of the Oldsmobile, officers found 223 decks of heroin, 151 glass vials of crack-cocaine and 132 Alprazolam tablets.

Authorities charged Andrews with 16 criminal counts including resisting arrest and possession, sale and distribution of heroin, cocaine and prescription drugs.

Authorities charged McMiller with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, wandering with the intent to sell CDS and possession of drug paraphernalia.

McMiller and Montford were issued summonses and released; they will be arraigned on Monday’s charges on Jan. 30.

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