By Jim Clark

A Somerville Police officer on patrol at Assembly Row last Friday evening observed a vehicle parked illegally in front of the Montaje building located at 449 Canal St.

The officer parked his fully marked cruiser in the cul-de-sac opposite the vehicle which was occupied by a male driver, a male front seat passenger, and an individual in the rear seat on the passenger side.

The officer observed a man exit the Montaje building carrying a white plastic shopping bag under his right arm, then enter the the rear driver’s side door of the illegally parked vehicle and sit down.

The vehicle then proceeded forward into the Montaje parking garage. The occupants were having difficulty with entering the garage, and the rear seat passenger who just entered the vehicle, exited and manipulated the parking machine numerous times before the vehicle was finally allowed entry.

The officer circled the block and observed the vehicle now parked at the rear exit facing Great River Rd. He positioned his cruiser so as to watch the exit, and observed the vehicle exit the garage and drive on Great River Rd. toward Artisan Way.

As the vehicle passed his cruiser, he saw that the male who just entered the vehicle was no longer inside. The officer suspected that a street level narcotic transaction had taken place.

The officer stopped the vehicle on Grand Union Blvd. by Starbucks. The driver provided the officer with a license confirming his identity as Tiago Pereira. The front seat passenger identified himself as Julio Silveira.

During this interaction the officer reportedly detected a very strong smell of unburnt marijuana emanating from the vehicle. In plain view of the center console he observed a small amount of marijuana in a clear plastic bag, and numerous drug paraphernalia items.

The officer ordered Tiago from the vehicle and spoke with him at the rear of the vehicle. Tiago reportedly stated that he came to Assembly Row to meet a friend and drop off clothes.

Silveira and the rear seat passenger were removed from the vehicle, and all individuals were read their Miranda rights.

The officer conducted a search of the vehicle and their persons for evidence related to the drug transaction he believed occurred.  Inside the vehicle, he retrieved the clear plastic bag with marijuana inside from the center console. Also located in the same console storage area was a stack of new unused packaging for marijuana labeled “Blizz Pack – World Famous Apple Fritter” “7 Grams”.

Inside the armrest a digital scale, and three packages of marijuana were located. One package was labeled “Goat Exotics Wedding Cake” and the other two were both labeled “Pink Runty.”

Also located in the armrest was a stack of cash amounting to $1,790. There was an additional $72 located in the armrest that was loose.

In the rear seat, the armrest was folded down and there was a small black access panel for the trunk. The access panel was ajar. The officer lowered the access panel and observed a white plastic shopping bag, very similar to the bag that the individual who exited Montaje and had sat in the back seat was carrying. Inside the bag was a vacuum sealed bag containing approximately one pound of marijuana labeled “Gelato”. Also located in the shopping bag were numerous individual packaging for marijuana distribution labeled “Pink Runty”.

After discovering additional drugs and cash on both Pereira and Silveira, the officer came to believe that Pereira and Silveria were conspiring to sell marijuana.

Due to the amount of marijuana in their possession, the overwhelming amount of packaging material, and the extreme amounts of cash, the officer informed both of them that they would be placed under arrest.

Silveria was charged with drug possession to distribute, possession of a class B drug, and conspiracy to violate drug law, while Pereira was charged with drug possession to distribute, operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license, and conspiracy to violate drug law.

Both men were taken to Police headquarters for booking on the above stated charges.

The back seat passenger was released with no charges.