On the streets of New Bedford's South End, a police operation has ended with the arrests of two individuals, including a man with a track record of run-ins with the law. According to a social media post from the City of New Bedford Police Department, Julio Camacho, a 39-year-old resident of Pleasant Street, was caught with illegal substances and an unlicensed firearm during a surveillance operation led by Detective Stephanie Connolly.
The bust unfolded on Monday when Connolly, who had prior intel about Camacho's illicit activities, spotted him and Christina Duarte, 44, from Hemlock Street, entering a vehicle. With assistance from the Massachusetts State Police, Camacho and Duarte were apprehended. Searches yielded a crack pipe, fentanyl, and 28 grams of cocaine in Camacho's possession, along with a sum of $126 believed to be drug proceeds. Inside their vehicle, police found what is known as a Poly80 firearm, which cannot be traced, on the front passenger side.
The arrest record for Camacho is extensive, incorporating over a century of adult criminal entries that span violent and drug-related crimes. Detained with multiple outstanding warrants, his charges represent a gamut of infractions: trafficking cocaine, illegal firearm possession, possession to distribute class A and B drugs, and traffic offenses. Like a shadow trailing every step he takes, his past convictions for violent or drug-related crimes intensify the legal repercussions he now faces.
As for Duarte, she faces charges for carrying an untraceable firearm without proper licensing. The New Bedford Police Department commended the diligence of its officers and partnership with the state police in their push to rid the city of unauthorized weapons and narcotics. The department encourages anyone with further information to contribute anonymously by calling 508-99-CRIME or submitting tips via their website.
