Eight people were arrested Thursday night on drug charges following a police raid on two apartments at 177 Elm St., police said.
HOLYOKE – Eight people were arrested Thursday night on drug charges following a police raid on two apartments at 177 Elm St., police said.
The raid was conducted by members of the Holyoke Police narcotics and vice units, the Hampden County Narcotics Task Force, the Massachusetts State Police Special Tactics and Operations Team, Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Police raided two apartments, 3R and 1R, just after 7 p.m. Thursday after obtaining a district court search warrant. The raid yielded several ounces of marijuana, cocaine, and numerous bags of heroin. Also seized were a loaded .22 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun, an electronic stun gun, and cash and packaging materials, according to Holyoke Police Lt. Jim Albert.
Arrested were Jose Concepcion, 33 , Jeannie Jimenez, 22, Angel Ramirez, 31,
Luis Vendrell, 25, Izaida Gonzalez, 22, Jose Rivera,29, Ernesto Pedraza, 50, and
Guillermo Otero, 30, all of Holyoke.
Each is facing a variety of charges related to the possession and distribution of narcotics, Albert said.
Conception, Jimenez and Ramirez and Vendrell were each charged possession of heroin and cocaine, and possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to distribute. Conception, Jimenez and Ramirez were also charged with conspiracy to violate drug laws
In addition, Vendrell was charged with weapons offenses for possession of a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without a firearms identification car, possession of a loaded firearm, and illegal possession of a stun gun, and receiving stolen property and violating a drug-free school zone..
Gonzalez, Rivera, Pedraza and Otero where charged with possession of heroin and cocaine, and and possession of a class E substance, prescription medicine, and possession of a class B substance.
The apartment is within 300 feet of the Holyoke Day Nursery at # 159 Chestnut Street, and is also the location of the incident last week where a school bus carrying children was struck by gun fire.
All eight were scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Holyoke District Court but information on their arraignments was not available Friday night.
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