Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane on Monday announced the arrest of two Northeast Philadelphia men earlier this month for trafficking heroin from a Mayfair home.
Investigators identified Santos Javier Alvarez-Ruiz, 38, of the 3000 block of Brighton St., as an alleged wholesaler of the drug and Felipe Fontanez-Burgos, 42, of the 7200 block of Rupert St. in Castor Gardens, as an alleged street-level dealer.
The state prosecutor’s office said that agents “developed” information that a drug deal was going to occur at Alvarez-Ruiz’s house, so they set up surveillance and saw Fontanez-Burgos leave the house carrying a black trash bag. Agents later stopped Fontanez-Burgos in a car near Roosevelt Boulevard and Summerdale Avenue, where they allegedly found in his possession heroin packaging materials such as thousands of empty blue packets.
The surveillance also allowed agents to obtain a warrant to search the Brighton Street house, where they allegedly found about 250 grams of heroin with a “street value” of about $85,000. Some of the drugs were allegedly contained in 3,660 packets, while some were unpackaged. Agents also seized $6,000 cash and alleged drug paraphernalia including a scale, grinders, a strainer and clear plastic packets. Many of those items allegedly contained white powder residue.
Both defendants were charged with manufacturing, delivery or possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility, conspiracy, drug possession and drug paraphernalia possession. They are scheduled to appear at a June 28 preliminary hearing. ••
