Two arrested near Marshall Street with two bundles of heroin
By Jonathan Greene
Published: January 4, 2014
Two people with a number of heroin packets were arrested on Friday during a motor vehicle stop near Marshall Street, announced Richard Berdnik, the Passaic County Sheriff.
Shannon Carroll, 25, and Julio Vargas, 30, and a third individual, inside a tinted glass vehicle near Pacific and Marshall Streets, at around 6:53 p.m. on Friday, when detectives from the sheriff’s office caught up with them.
Officers commenced a routine vehicle stop. Carroll, who was inside the vehicle, was identified, and detectives found there was a pending warrant for the individual’s arrest out of the city’s police department. Officers instructed Carroll to step out of the vehicle, when two bundle of heroin packets became visible, as the suspect was stepping out of the vehicle.
As Carroll was exiting the car, Vargas, the driver of the vehicle, attempted to speed out of the scene, however he was prevented by officers. Then Vargas abruptly placed the car on park, and attempted to flee on foot. Vargas ran, and an officer followed.
“Officer Lopez quickly makes the arrest of Vargas after a brief physical struggle,” said Berdnik in a statement. Officers Jose Cartagena and Miguel Lopez arrested both suspects. As Vargas was running, he managed to discard all the drugs he had in his possession. “As Officer Lopez chased the suspect to make the apprehension, a large bag containing 80 individual wrapped glassines of Heroin was discarded by Vargas,” according to the office.
Along with the two bundles of heroin that was found on Carroll, officers recovered 80 individual packets of heroin, and $998.00 in cash. Besides these illegal items, officers also found weapons inside the car. “Two large edged weapons were also recovered inside the vehicle,” according to Berdnik.
A third person was inside a vehicle, who according to the office, played no role in the matter. That third individual, had a valid New Jersey driver’s license and he was the vehicle’s owner. After the two suspects were arrested the vehicle owner took possession of his car. “The third person in the car had a valid NJ driver’s license and was the owner of the vehicle was not involved and took possession of the vehicle,” said Berdnik.
Carroll was charged with drug possession; Vargas was charged with drug possession, eluding an officer, resisting arrest, and for possession with the intent to distribute near a school.