Two Holyoke men have found themselves on the wrong side of the law after local police teamed up with federal agents to tackle suspected drug activity in the city. In a carefully coordinated sting on December 23, the Holyoke Police Narcotics unit, together with the FBI Western Mass Gang Task Force and Hampden County Safe Unit, zeroed in on Dwight and Pine Streets following tips of illegal drug transactions. The action culminated in the arrest of Rafael Perez, 36, and Jose Gonzalez, 41.
Details from the Holyoke Police Department's social media post reveal that Perez is facing multiple charges including possession with intent to distribute Class A (heroin), possession with intent to distribute Class B (cocaine), distribution of Class A, distribution of Class B, and conspiracy to violate the drug law. His supposed accomplice, Gonzalez, has been charged with conspiracy to violate the drug law; having focused their surveillance on the area after observing consistent suspicious activities.
The arrests mark a success for law enforcement agencies who are intensifying their efforts to curb the flow of narcotics in communities plagued by drugs.
