Paterson police bust Beech Street gambling, drug joint
By Jayed Rahman
Published: October 15, 2016
Police arrested three people and seized 1,026 glassines of heroin and $1,643 in a drug and gambling bust on Beech Street on Friday, said police director Jerry Speziale.
City residents Jose Vasquez, 57, of East 32nd Street; Raziel Garcia, 28, of East 22nd Street; and Edgar Vasquez, 27, of East Main Street were arrested in the bust at 91 Beech Street.
Police charged the Vasquezs and Garcia with possession of gambling records, maintaining a gambling resort, and promoting gambling.
$1,643 was seized from Jose Vasquez, said the director.
Police charged Edgar Vasquez with having 1,026 glassines of heroin and resisting arrest. He was also charged with distributing heroin close to a school and park.
Police seized $227 in cash from Edgar Vasquez. The director said police setup surveillance outside of the location — appears to be a grocery store in the corner of Oak and Beech Streets — which yielded the arrests.
“The department will continue all aspects of investigating illegal operations with our goal of making a safer city,” said Speziale.