Two men face drug dealing charges after allegedly being found with more than 250 grams of heroin packed in small quantities and ready to be sold.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane announced the arrest of Santos Javier Alvarez-Ruiz, 38, and Felipe Fontanez-Burgos, 42, at a news conference in Philadelphia Monday morning.
"While our office likes to concentrate on wholesale purveyors of illegal drugs, and continues to do so, these incredibly dangerous drugs also must be combated at the street level," said Kane. "Heroin has destroyed countless lives across Pennsylvania. We will use the resources of our office to target dealers large or small, and to let them know there will be severe consequences for the people dealing this poison."
Investigators found heroin packing materials during a traffic stop of Fontanez-Burgos' car in the area of Summerdale Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard. They later obtained a search warrant for Alvarez-Ruiz's Mayfair residence – where Fontanez-Burgos' was seen leaving with a black trash bag – and they found the heroin, said Kane. [[383647291, C]]
The heroin seized in this investigation is worth around $85,000 said Kane.
Both men face drug distribution, criminal conspiracy and drug paraphernalia charges.
NBC10 explored the tragic world of heroin and opioid addiction earlier this year in a special investigation, Generation Addicted. The in-depth project highlighted people suffering to break free from the drug's strong and deadly grip as well as explore efforts by public health officials and law enforcement to address the growing epidemic.
