A series of surveillance operations on Tuesday led to the arrests, authorities said
NEWARK - A total of six men were arrested on various drug charges during a series of operations by the Essex County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, authorities said.
According to Sheriff Armando Fontoura, the arrests came during four separate investigations by his Bureau of Narcotics, beginning in the early morning hours, when plainclothes officers watched 46-year-old Dwight Davis pull up at the corner of South 16th Street and 15th Avenue in Newark.
Davis allegedly exchanged cash for a small plastic bag with another man, who took Davis' keys and drove off in his silver SUV.
Fountora said Davis then "furtively scanned the location" before taking inventory of the bag. Detectives moved in to seize it, and arrested Davis after finding 103 envelopes of heroin stamped 'TURN UP' inside.
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Another operation led to a series of arrests at noon, when undercover officers watched Andre Francis and Bernard White, both 37-year-old Newark residents, loitering in the area of South 15th Street and 14th Avenue.
They were approached on foot by a man who handed over cash for an item stashed down a nearby alley, Fontoura said.
Detectives followed the man as he left, and discovered the item he had purchased was heroin. They returned to the scene to arrest Francis and White, and found another 57 decks of the drug stashed inside a cigarette box in the alley, according to the sheriff.
The arrests continued around 5 p.m., when 23-year-old Aljamar Dickerson was allegedly caught selling a single envelope of heroin to a man in a pickup truck near the intersection of South 19th Street and Avon Avenue.
Officers seized the drug from the buyer, and returned to the corner to arrest Dickerson. He attempted to flee on foot, according to Fontoura, but was eventually caught along with 44 decks of heroin.
The final bust came later that evening, when Jahquill Turner of Newark and Laquan Martin of Irvington were observed making a cash transaction with a passerby on Frelinghusen Avenue, Fontoura said.
Officers moved in, and a search of both men allegedly led to the seizure of 82 plastic bags of 'crack' cocaine and Martin was found to possess 2 methamphetamine-filled capsules.
All six suspects were charged with various drug distribution and possession offenses, and Dickerson was charged with resisting arrest. They were arraigned in Essex County Superior Court Wednesday morning and ordered held on bonds ranging from $30,000 to $75,000.
The two buyers were issued summonses to appear in court.
Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.