NEW BRITAIN — Police working with the Greater New Britain Shooting Team and the Statewide Narcotics Task Force targeted "open air" drug markets during a series of raids late Thursday that resulted in eight people being taken into custody on a variety of charges.
Police made controlled illegal drug buys at four outdoor locations after executing two search warrants on Wilcox Street and Smith Street.
The outdoor areas, including Grand and Arch streets and North and Tremont streets, were the subject of numerous resident complaints who said drugs were being sold on the street corners, Capt. Thomas Steck said.
"We have been executing search warrants at residences where we have received complaints but we also wanted to address the street level sales that residents see," Steck said.
The raids netted heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana and a firearm. Police made 10 arrests charging eight people with various offenses.
Gabriel Aponte, 25, of 24 Wilcox St. was charged with violating a protective order as police were executing a search warrant at his address. Aponte who was also served with two failure to appear in court arrest warrants is the subject of a protective order barring him from being at the address, Steck said.
The target of the investigation was Sylvia Mora, 47, also of 24 Wilcox St., who was charged with possession of narcotics, possession of a controlled substance and failure to keep prescription drugs in the original container. Police found cocaine and prescription pills at the address.
As a second search warrant was being executed at 151 Smith St., first floor, Wilfredo Santana, 26, of the address, allegedly flushed drugs down the toilet as officers were entering his home, Steck said.
He was charged with interfering with a search warrant, destruction of evidence and interfering with police.
The group then moved on to attacking open-air sales by orchestrating controlled drug buys from those selling on street corners. The transactions took place roughly from 7 to 9 p.m., Steck said.
"We don't expect to get as much product or currency, but it's the open-air drug sales that people see," Steck said. "It's a nuisance for people in the area."
Ramon Torres, 24, of 45 Whiting St., was taken into custody in the area of North and Tremont streets after police said he sold heroin during a controlled purchase. Torres fled on foot and then wrestled with officers as he was being taken into custody, police said.
He was found with two bundles — 20 bags — of heroin worth about $200, some prescription pills and $300 in suspected drug proceeds.
Torres was charged with interfering with police, possession of narcotics, sale of narcotics, sale of narcotics within 1,500 feet of a school and failure to keep narcotics in the original container.
Jose Vega, 34, of 24 Grand St., and Hakeem Corbin, 22, of 10 Walnut St., were taken into custody on Arch Street after a street sale in the area. Corbin directed the potential customer who was looking for drugs to Vega who made the sale, Steck said.
Corbin was charged with conspiracy to sell marijuana and Vega was charged with possession of marijuana and sale of marijuana.
Christopher Nieves, 22, of 580 Arch St., was picked up in the Oak Street area after he sold crack cocaine during a controlled purchase. He was charged with sale of narcotics and sale of narcotics within 1,500 feet of a school.
Misael Lopez, 29, of 580 Arch St. was arrested after he sold marijuana during a controlled purchase in the area of Glen Street and Rockwell Avenue. Lopez was carrying a loaded .45 caliber handgun at the time of his arrest.
The gun, Lopez's valid pistol permit and $1,600 were seized during the arrest, Steck said. The permit will be turned over to the state for review, he said. Lopez was charged with sale of marijuana.
The operation was completed in a matter of hours thanks to the help of the shooting team and task force, Steck said. "The State's Attorney's Office and their initiative with the shooting team and the task force is working really well," Steck said. "Having new faces with us made it easier and we wouldn't have been as productive without their help."
Lisa Backus can be reached at (860) 225-4601, ext. 306 or lbackus@newbritainherald.com.
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