Two alleged heroin and crack cocaine dealers arrested this week, according to authorities.
NEWARK -- Essex County Sheriff's officers arrested two alleged drug dealers and seized heroin along with crack cocaine after separate narcotics investigations this week, authorities said Wednesday.
In a surveillance operation Tuesday, detectives were watching the area near Frelinghuysen Avenue and Whitter Place when they saw Newark resident Shariek Morgan, 21, loitering, and engage in a suspected drug transaction with Luis Vazquez, 63, of Colonia, according to Sheriff Armando Fontoura.
After a brief conversation with Vazquez, Morgan went to the side of a building and took items from a plastic bag, Fontoura said. Morgan traded the suspected narcotics with Vazquez for cash.
Officers pulled over Vazquez nearby and found he had heroin packets stamped with "Northface," according to the sheriff, who said Vazquez was charged with drug possession.
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Back on Frelinghuysen Avenue, authorities found 138 decks of heroin and 10 grams of crack cocaine in the plastic bag, Fontoura added. Morgan was charged with various drug distribution-related offenses.
As officers were arresting Morgan, Johnathan Quaterman, 48 of Newark, tossed a single heroin packet on the ground and was also arrested on a drug possession charge, according to authorities.
Fontoura said another drug dealer was arrested early Wednesday after narcotics detectives and the sheriff's tactical team raided a Stone Street residence. Authorities found plastic sandwich bags with 16 grams of crack cocaine, seven grams of heroin and various drug packaging paraphernalia, the sheriff added. The drugs have an estimated street value of around $2,000.
The target of the investigation, Jeneffer Morfa, 30, was charged with offenses, including possession of drugs with the intent to distribute the narcotics near Benjamin Franklin School and the Wynona Lipman Gardens housing complex.
Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc and on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.