An alleged drug dealer was arrested with a loaded Glock handgun following a surveillance operation on Main Street on Tuesday evening.
Raul J. Melendez, 28, of Paterson, has been charged with four drug offenses and four weapons offenses.
Police observed Melendez allegedly conduct two separate hand-to-hand drug sales on the corner of Main and Weiss streets at around 6 p.m.
Police couldn’t arrest the buyers without jeopardizing the investigation because the alleged buyers entered buildings within surveillance zone.
Detectives observed Melendez enter a vehicle at around 6:08 p.m. and departed the area. Police pulled him over on 21st Avenue and Spring Street.
Melendez was placed under arrest. Police seized a loaded Glock 23 handgun with a round in the chamber and nine unspent rounds in a magazine underneath the front passenger seat of the vehicle. He also had 4 Oxycodone tablets.
Police confiscated $611 in cash from Melendez.