In a major operation against illegal arms and drugs in Cambridge, local resident Michael Burke has been charged after a joint investigation led to his arrest. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow, and Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoff Noble announced the details in a press statement on Thursday. This collaborative effort involved the Cambridge Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Section, Massachusetts State Police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, aiming to combat drug-related activities in Central Square and nearby areas.
The arrest was made without any tumult or distress on Wednesday, officers executed a search warrant at the crossroads of Mount Auburn Street and Putnam Avenue where Burke, 49, was apprehended. Among the haul recovered were items embodying the often unseen but pervasive tendrils of urban contraband: over two hundred grams of cocaine, cash amounting to more than $8,000, and firearms, including a "ghost gun" featuring a switch to toggle automatic firing a feature that carries with it a heavy air of ominous implications given the weapon's untraceable nature and an unregistered firearm, as reported by Cambridge Police Department.
Ghost guns, which evade standard registration and tracing, highlight the challenges law enforcement faces as DIY weapon manufacturing becomes more common. Adding a switch to modify a ghost gun’s firing capacity increases its danger and shows a blatant disregard for laws meant to limit access to such weapons. These items were seized as evidence and could strengthen the charges against Burke, according to the Cambridge Police Department statement.