Crack Cocaine, Loaded Pistol Recovered From Vehicle in Lattingtown: Police

Two men were arrested after a loaded pistol and crack cocaine were discovered inside a vehicle during a Thursday morning traffic stop in Lattingtown, police say.

According to authorities, officers pulled over a black Mercedes Benz traveling westbound on Bayville Road after the driver, identified as 49-year-old Alpine resident Zhou Libo, was seen operating erratically while using a cellphone at 12:07 a.m. A passenger, identified as 30-year-old Forest Hills resident Shaung Tang, was also in the vehicle.

An officer observed a black handgun holster on the rear seat of the vehicle when a traffic stop was conducted in front of 99 Horse Hollow Road in Locust Valley, police say.

A subsequent investigation led to the recovery of a loaded Colt MKIV Mustang .380 pistol and two clear plastic bags containing crack cocaine, police say.

Libo and Tang were placed under arrested without incident. Both men were charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm. Libo was additionally charged with mobile phone use while driving.

The men will be arraigned Friday at First District Court in Hempstead.

Images via NCPD