Paterson grocery store owner sold heroin from business, authorities
By Jonathan Greene
Published: March 17, 2016
A city man was apprehended after a month long investigation for dealing heroin using a Carroll Street grocery store, according to Passaic County Sheriff Richard Berdnik.
Jose Paulino, 49-year-old, utilized his business Chelo Grocery store located at 80 Carroll Street and an Infiniti FX35 to deal drugs, authorities said.
Paulino has been charged with heroin possession, distribution, distribution close to a school, and maintaining a narcotics production facility, the sheriff said.
Detectives searched both the car and the grocery store recovering 250 glassine envelopes of heroin, $6,538 in suspected drug proceeds, and paraphernalia, authorities said.
Berdnik said detectives also seized thousands of empty glassines, grinders, digital scales, and rubber bands used to manufacture heroin for street distribution.
The sheriff said Paulino’s 2003 Infiniti FX35 has been seized pending forfeiture. He is being held in Paterson police lockup pending a bail hearing.
“I am glad that this drug dealer who used a neighborhood grocery store as his base, is now out of business and in jail,” Berdnik said.