Crime & Safety

N.Y. Man Charged With Trafficking Drugs: Heroin, Cocaine

Police say a K-9 sniffed out a secret electronic "drug hide" inside a car containing cocaine and heroin, all individually packaged for sale, along with cash.

Peabody police arrested a New York man outside the Northshore Mall on Saturday and charged him with trafficking heroin and cocaine.

Police were apprised of suspicious activity in the downtown area and in the course of an investigation, followed the suspect's vehicle to the Northshore Mall parking lot where detectives observed more suspicious behavior, leading to a search of the suspect's car (a 2005 Lexus).

A K-9 unit from Everett was called to the scene and sniffed out a "sophisticated electronic drug hide" inside the vehicle, according to police, that contained $15,000 worth of cocaine and heroin along with $13,000 in cash.

Police said cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin were all individually packaged for sale.

Juan Leonardo Pena, 34, of 77 Division Ave. #11, Brooklyn, N.Y., was arrested at approximately 1:10 p.m. and charged with trafficking heroin, trafficking cocaine, giving a false ID to a police officer and a forged RMV document.

Detective Michael Crane said Pena initially produced a New York driver's license that detectives discovered was false when they went to fingerprint him during booking. He was processed through a national database and positively identified.

Police also observed Pena had previously partially altered his fingerprints in an attempt to avoid detection and identification by authorities.

Pena is being held until an arraignment hearing scheduled for Monday morning in Peabody District Court.

The investigation was led by detectives David Murphy, Joseph Gilroy and Eric Ricci with assistance from officers John Nelson, Lonny Johnson, Robert Gallo, an Everett K-9 unit and Northshore Mall security officers.


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