For Immediate Release

Monday, March 2, 2015

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003

Ipswich Police Department Arrests Suspected Heroin and Cocaine Dealer

IPSWICH — Police Chief Paul A. Nikas reports that the Ipswich Police Department arrested a suspected heroin and cocaine dealer after a routine traffic stop on Friday afternoon.

“Vigilance by an Ipswich Police Detective has resulted in an alleged drug dealer being taken of the streets today,” Chief Nikas said. “I am very proud of the hard work that went into this case, and I hope it will send a strong message to the drug trafficking community: We are watching you.”

On Friday, an Ipswich Police Detective noticed a green Honda Odyssey traveling on East Street at a high rate of speed. Officers affected a traffic stop of the van, and noted an extremely strong odor of air freshener coming from the vehicle and a driver who appeared to be very nervous.

The driver told officers that he lived in Massachusetts but produced an invalid New York driver’s license when asked for identification.

With no valid identification, the driver was told to exit the vehicle, and officers asked if he had any weapons on him. The driver said that he did not possess any weapons, but officers found a knife in one of his pockets. Officers also found a  large wad of cash on another pocket.

The driver then consented for police to search the vehicle. Inside, officers found a brown paper bag with many small plastic bags of powder inside.

Police recovered 20 small plastic bags and two medium-sized bags of white powder, believed to be cocaine, and nine bags of a brownish powder, believed to be heroin. Police also found a brown rock, which will be tested.

As a result, EDWARD A. MONTERO-SANCHEZ, AGE 25, OF DANVERS was arrested and charged with;

• Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle
• Possession of a Class A Substance (Heroin) with Intent to Distribute
• Possession of a Class B Substance (Cocaine) with Intent to Distribute

MONTERO-SANCHEZ was released by a bail clerk on personal recognizance and will be arraigned tomorrow in Ipswich District Court at Newburyport.

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