Essex County Sheriff's detectives made arrests in a drug-plagued Newark neighborhood.
NEWARK -- Detective with the Essex County Sheriff's Bureau of Narcotics charged two men who were seen conducting a drug buy in an area known for being an open-air narcotics market, Sheriff Armando Fontoura said in a statement.
Officers began to investigate the North Ward neighborhood near Parker Street and Park Avenue following complaints from residents. Plainclothes detectives carried out surveillance in the area Tuesday night. "Once on the scene, our BON detectives observed Terrell Bivins, age 35, loitering in front of 143 Parker Street," Fontoura said. "Bivins was soon engaged in conversation with a male passerby, later identified as Jose Perez, 46 of Newark."
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Bivens walked down an alleyway and removed an item from beneath a wooden board resting on the ground and "exchanged the items for cash," Fontoura said. "Perez was followed from the scene and was found to be in possession of four vials of crack cocaine. Back at the Parker Street address Bivins was detained while our BON detectives searched the alleyway."
Bivins was arrested after the plastic bag was recovered. It allegedly contained 40 more vials of crack. He was charged with the sale of a controlled dangerous substance, the sale of drugs within 1,000 feet of Barringer High School, sale within 500 feet of Branch Brook Park, possession, possession with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of Barringer High School and possession with intent to distribute within 500 feet of Branch Brook Park.
Bivins was being held on $75,000 bail following arraignment Thursday. Perez was issued a summons and released pending a court appearance.
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