3 arrested, $3.3M in heroin confiscated in Philadelphia bust
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police have arrested three suspected drug dealers and confiscated $3.3-million in heroin as a result of a joint investigation with the Drug Enforcement Administration.
30-year-old Gheral Alavarez-Mercedes, 26-year-old Zamary L. Roldan, and 26-year-old Johel Pascal-Mateo have been charged with Possession with the Intent to Deliver and Conspiracy, the District Attorney's Office announced Thursday.
If found guilty, each suspect could face approximately 60 years in prison.
"The more than 13 kilograms of heroin, which has a street value of $3.3 million dollars, is thankfully no longer on the streets of Philadelphia," District Attorney Seth Williams said in a statement.
On January 24, officers who had been observing Alavarez-Mercedes in the area of 7100 Bingham Street followed him. They saw him place a small white box in his car. Police stopped him and officers found approximately three kilograms of heroin in the white box. Alavarez-Mercedes was taken into custody.
As Alavarez-Mercedes was being stopped, investigators at the same property on Bingham Street saw a female, later identified as Roldan, exiting the home with an infant, diaper bag, hand bag, and a container.
Roldan was stopped by police and voluntarily consented to having her car searched.
Officers recovered four racks of glassine packets containing heroin, $5,000 and the container contained 18.4 pounds of heroin. Roldan was taken into custody. Authorities say arrangements were made for family members to take possession of the infant.
Alavarez-Mercedes gave officers consent to search his residence on Bingham Street and they recovered .5 kilograms of heroin, packaging materials and scales. They also found in an upstairs bedroom ledger books, passports for Alavarez-Mercedes and Roldan, and 13 counterfeit $100 bills.
Investigators learned that Alavarez-Mercedes had made arrangements to meet with Pascal-Mateo. According to the DA, Pascal-Mateo was to transport the three kilograms of heroin to New York City via the Geraldo Transport Service. Officers stopped Pascal-Mateo near the Geraldo Transport Service, arrested him and confiscated $485.
