Philadelphia police arrested four people and seized about 114 grams of heroin during a raid Aug. 17 on an alleged heroin distribution ring operating in a Castor Gardens house.
The dealers have ties to Dominican drug suppliers, according to Sgt. Robert Friel of Narcotics Field Unit North, which has conducted
several similar raids of home-based heroin operations in the Northeast in recent months.
Officer Charles Myers led the investigation, which began several days before the raid when police learned that the suspected dealers were supplying heroin for open-air sales at several drug corners in Kensington, including Kip and Ontario streets, A and Westmoreland streets, along with C and Clearfield streets.
Through surveillance, police determined that the dealers were using a house at 7145 Rutland St. as a packaging location. On Aug. 17, police stopped Juan Carlos Molina Sanchez and Estauro Marcony Brito as they left the house and approached a Nissan Sentra.
Officers detained the suspects as a dog from the police K-9 Unit detected drugs in the vehicle. Police obtained search warrants for the car, two other vehicles used by the suspects and the house.
Inside the residence, investigators allegedly discovered 991 packets of heroin stamped with various “brands” including “Nike,” “Flat Line,” “Nextel” and “Die Hard.” Officers confiscated the packets, along with bulk heroin, a substance used to lower the drug’s potency, grinding devices, packaging, additional drug paraphernalia and $671 in cash.
In all, 113.73 grams of heroin were recovered.
Police arrested Sanchez, 32, and Brito, 34; along with Luis Miguel Sanchez Jimenez, 24, and Ramon Matos, 32, at the scene. Matos lived on the 300 block of E. Westmoreland St. The others all lived at the Rutland Street address, police said.
They were charged with drug possession, drug distribution, possessing drug paraphernalia and conspiracy. Police and federal immigration authorities are investigating the citizenship and residency statuses of all four men. ••
