Two of the men were arrested after allegedly being found with 348 envelopes of heroin inside a cab
NEWARK - Five people, included two reputed members of the Bloods street gang, were arrested on drug distribution charges during a pair of incidents on Tuesday, authorities said.
Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said that narcotics detectives from his department were conducting surveillance in downtown Newark around 4 p.m., trailing suspected Bloods member and drug dealer Khasif Parrish.
They looked on as Parrish stopped near the corner of Market Street and Mulberry Street to place a phone call, before quickly walking to McCarter Highway and joining another man in the back of a silver cab, according to Fontoura.
The detectives followed both on foot and in unmarked vehicles as the cab rolled away. As it approached Edison Place and Railroad Avenue, they boxed the vehicle in before activating their sirens.
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Inside, they found Parrish and 31-year-old Jose Gonzalez, along with a plastic bag stuffed with 348 glassine envelopes of heroin, Fontoura said. Both were taken into custody on charges including narcotics distribution, possession and conspiracy.
Sheriff's officers also made a pair of arrests during a surveillance operation earlier that day, as they prepared to execute a search warrant at 161 North 12th Street.
"With our plainclothes operation in place at noon, our officers observed a group of people loitering on the residence's porch," Fontoura said. "After observing what appeared to be a narcotics transaction, the (Bureau of Narcotics) detectives moved in and announced their presence."
A 22-year-old woman on the porch threw a bag of marijuana aside as the officers approached, and a man was carrying two glassine envelopes of heroin, according to the sheriff. A third man was found to have open warrants out of both Newark and East Orange municipal courts.
Inside, police found the target of their investigation, 23-year-old purported Blood Devaunte Eatman, as well as 40-year-old Shadur Borden of East Orange and a 17-year-old boy.
A search of the home uncovered 390 envelopes of heroin stamped "SOUL FOOD", as well as 66 bags of crack cocaine hidden in a bedroom drawer, Fontoura said.
Eatman, Borden and the 17-year-old were all charged with two counts of drug distribution and a single count of conspiracy.
Parrish and Gonzalez were each ordered held at the Essex County Jail on separate $85,000 bonds, while Eatman and Borden were being held on $100,000 bonds. The 17-year-old was taken to the county youth detention center to await a hearing in family court.
The street value of the drugs seized during both investigations is estimated at around $10,000.
Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
