$17K In Drugs, Cash Seized In Probe Of Hot Spot In Essex County – Newark, NJ Patch

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Police from Essex County, Bloomfield and Newark seized more than $17,000 in illegal narcotics and cash after a law enforcement probe involving a drug “hot spot” in Newark earlier this month, authorities announced Monday.

Samid Strothers, 23, of Newark, an alleged member of the Brick City Brim set of the Bloods street gang, has been charged with multiple drug and firearm offenses following the investigations, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office stated.

The first incident took place on Oct. 9, when members of a task force made up of the above agencies, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General were carrying out a narcotics investigation in the area of Van Vechten Street in Newark.

“Our officers were provided information that identified the area around Van Vechten Street as a potential hot spot for illegal narcotics activity, as well as potential violent crimes, specifically shootings,” Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said.

On that day, police saw a man – later identified as Strothers – “pacing back and forth on the street corner with no apparent destination,” authorities said.

Soon, a man carrying a large bag approached Strothers and handed him the bag. Strothers then went to a Jeep Cherokee parked nearby and drove away, returning several minutes later, police said.

According to police:

“Once Strothers returned to Van Vechten Street, he parked the vehicle and again began pacing along the sidewalk. It was at this time that members of the task force observed Strothers make contact with numerous individuals. During each of these interactions, the unidentified individual approached Strothers and proceeded to hand him paper currency in exchange for an unidentified substance from Strothers’ bag.”

“Based off of our officers training and past experience, they immediately recognized that a number of illegal narcotics transactions had taken place,” Fontoura said.

“Our officers approached Strothers with badges showing and requested his cooperation. Strothers informed the officers that he had illegal narcotics in his possession, and he was permitted to reached into his front waistband, where he retrieved the bag containing 11 clear jugs of suspected crack-cocaine, 26 glassine envelopes stamped ‘Dirty Harry’ containing suspected heroin and $1,130 in cash. Officers immediately placed Strothers under arrest, and he was later booked and transported to the Essex County Correctional Facility.”

Police impounded Strothers’ vehicle after the incident. During a separate search of the vehicle, officers found $8,382 in cash, a .40 caliber handgun loaded with nine hollow-point bullets and an extended magazine, and 100 decks of heroin.

Police also seized cash during a later search of Strothers’ apartment, Fontoura added.

The sheriff said:

“Upon Strothers initial arrest and transportation to the Essex County Correctional Facility, he was allowed to return home while he awaited a hearing. Therefore, following the search of the suspect’s vehicle, members of the task force traveled to the Strothers residence in Elizabeth in order to again place him under arrest. Members of the task force executed the warrant upon arrival of the apartment complex, located Strothers in his living room, and immediately placed him under arrest. A further search of the apartment revealed an additional $7,982 in narcotics proceeds.”

Strothers was charged with possession of a firearm without a permit, possession of a firearm while committing an illegal drug offense, illegal possession of an extended magazine, illegal possession of hollow point ammunition, and illegal possession of a controlled and dangerous substance.

Strothers was transported to the Essex County Correctional Facility, where he will await a hearing on his charges, police said Monday.

Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Sign up for Patch email newsletters.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com