Little Falls drug dealer selling from vehicle in Paterson arrested, sheriff says
By Jonathan Greene
Published: September 30, 2023
![morales-and-santos](https://patersontimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/morales-and-santos.png)
A Little Falls man was allegedly selling drugs from a vehicle in Paterson, according to Passaic County Sheriff Richard Berdnik.
Andre Morales, 36, of Little Falls, was charged with 6 drug offenses and 5 weapons offenses. His alleged customer, Luis H. Santos, 50, of Paterson, was charged with 4 drug offenses, 2 aggravated assault on law enforcement, resisting arrest, and weapon possession.
Detectives received information Morales was selling drugs from a car on Marshall and Slater streets. They set up surveillance on Main and Marshall streets on Wednesday.
Morales was observed sitting in the driver’s seat of a 2012 Chevy Cruze. Santos approached the vehicle and met with Morales. Detectives observed a drug transaction.
Morales and Santos were stopped at separate locations.
Morales had 130 folds of heroin and 16 grams of raw cocaine, authorities said. A search of his vehicle yielded a Taurus Revolver 38 Special loaded with 6 polymer tip hollow rounds. Weapon was reported stolen out of Lumberton, NC on December 31, 2022.
Morales is a convicted criminal barred from possessing any weapons, authorities said.
Santos put up a violent struggle when detectives tried to place him under arrest, Berdnik said. He attacked officers and fled on foot.
During the struggle, detectives sustained minor injuries, but successfully placed Santos under arrest. Santos was taken Saint Joseph’s Regional Medical Center, where he was treated and released.
Both Morales and Santos were taken to Passaic County Jail pending court proceedings.