On Monday evening, officers conducted a surveillance assignment at the Riverview Place Apartments in Wilmington. There they observed two suspicious men entering and exiting Building 10.
The men left the scene in a green Honda Accord, which officers then followed. The driver committed a traffic violation, which prompted officers to pull the vehicle over.
A police canine unit responded to the scene along Philadelphia Pike. An exterior search was first conducted on the car, but the dog then indicated the presence of a controlled substance inside. Officers searched the vehicle and found 7 grams of cocaine and a large 7" knife hidden in a compartment in the dashboard.
Both suspects were arrested without incident. They have been identified as Carlos Soto-Cuevas, 26, and Luis Velez-Hernandez, 31, both of Golden Acres Drive in Wilmington.
Police then obtain a search warrant for the suspects' home and were able to recover 159 grams of cocaine hidden inside the dishwasher and an additional 28.5 grams of crack cocaine inside a cupboard. Also seized was $4,303 in cash that was spread out throughout the home.
The suspects are charged with two counts of trafficking cocaine, possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony, two counts of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, maintaining a vehicle for keeping a controlled substance, maintaining a residence for keeping a controlled substance, conspiracy, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
