Four Arrested, Gun and Drugs Seized in West-End Drug Transactions
NEW BEDFORD — Four men were arrested for drugs and a gun was seized following three separate drug transactions.
On Wednesday, March 12th, detectives assigned to the Organized Crime and Intelligence Bureau were patrolling the City’s West End, targeting street-level narcotics activity.
At 12:30 p.m., detectives observed three individuals engage in a drug transaction on Studley Street. The three men were identified as KEVIN HASLAM, 39, of 37 ALLEN STREET APT. 1S, LINO VERTENTES, 43, of 71 DIVISION STREET, and CALVIN ROSA, 22, of 13 STUDLEY STREET APT. 3. A traffic stop was initiated where detectives found crack cocaine. VERTENTES AND HASLAM were arrested.
Detectives returned to Studley Street to conduct surveillance when they observed another drug transaction between ROSA and a man identified as AHKARI JONES, 30, of PAWTUCKET. A traffic stop was again initiated and detectives located crack cocaine weighing 56.4 grams.
JONES was arrested and charged with trafficking 36 grams or more of cocaine and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.
That same day, detectives observed ROSA enter another vehicle, likely to engage in another drug transaction. The vehicle was stopped, and ROSA was taken into custody.
Detectives then executed a search warrant for ROSA’s residence where they seized two plastic bags of crack cocaine weighing 30.7 grams, a Smith & Wesson handgun which was later found to be stolen out of South Carolina, 9 rounds of .40 caliber ammo, and a digital scale.
ROSA was charged with distributing a class B drug, conspiracy to violate the drug law, trafficking in 18 grams or more of cocaine, possession of a large-capacity firearm, possession of ammunition without an FID card, and receiving stolen property.
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