By George P. Hassett
Neighborhood complaints led to Somerville police seizing 941 grams of pure heroin last night and arresting two men and two women.
Ricardo L. Gomez, 38, of Providence, Rhode Island, Fiorlenis Jimenez, 22, of Mattapan, Xiomara A. Ortiz, of Jamaica Plain and Raymundo Baez, 31, address unknown, were arrested after a six month investigation.
The street value of the heroin seized could be as high as a half million dollars according to Somerville drug detectives, who worked alone in the investigation. The arrests happnened on Franklin Street.
Also seized was a .380 caliber pistol. Gomez, Jiminez and Ortiz were charged with trafficking heroin, drug violation in a school zone, conspiracy to violate drug laws, carrying a firearm without a license and carrying ammunition without a license. Baez was charged with trafficking heroin and drug violation near a school zone.
Investigators anticipated finding heroin but they did not expect to come up with the city’s biggest bust ever, said Capt. Paul Upton.
"We weren’t expecting the French Connection in there," he said at today’s press conference.
Police were tipped off to the drug activity when neighborhood residents complained anonymously to police through letters and phone calls to police and the city’s 311 line, said Acting Police Chief Robert R. Bradley.
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