<p>Aaron Watkins and Desmond Roderiques were held on $50,000 bail and face drug charges after drug task force officers arrested them as they departed a ferry. The men are scheduled for arraignment Friday on charges including trafficking in heroin and trafficking in cocaine.</p>
Two New Bedford men were held on $50,000 bail Friday evening and face drug charges after Martha’s Vineyard Drug Task Force officers arrested them as they departed a Steamship Authority ferry in Vineyard Haven.
Aaron Watkins, 27, and Desmond Roderiques, 24, are scheduled for arraignment in Edgartown District Court on Friday, Oct. 23 on charges of trafficking in heroin, trafficking in cocaine, and conspiracy to violate drug laws. Police say the men are allegedly affiliated with a violent New Bedford group known as the Monte Park gang, and police said they have been investigating the alleged drug operation for about three months.
Police seized 53 grams of heroin, 23 grams of cocaine, and several containers of marijuana during the arrest, according to the task force officers. The street value of the drugs was estimated at $12,000.
The two men were stopped as the 2014 black Toyota Camry they were traveling in turned onto Water street after disembarking from the ferry at about 4:35 p.m. Friday, police said. They searched the men and the vehicle by authority of a search warrant issued earlier in the day by the Edgartown district court. According to police, the drugs were concealed in the engine compartment of the car.
Also Friday, police executed a search warrant at a home on Hye Way in Edgartown. They seized 80 grams of marijuana, methadone pills, and narcotics distribution paraphernalia at the address, police said, and they believed the two suspects and others allegedly used the home as a base to deal drugs on the Island.
Police said Monday that the investigation is still active, and they intend to question a number of people this week, with more arrests likely.
The Edgartown property is owned by a corporation, 2 Hye Way LLC. Police said the owners were not aware of the drug operation, and were not renting the house to Mr. Watkins or Mr. Roderiques.
Comments
Great work MV Drug Task Force
Appreciative Citizen EdgartownGreat work MV Drug Task Force. The $50,000 bail is probably chump change to these dirt bags but hopefully the end result will be some serious jail time. Thank you for keeping these drugs away from the island's population.
continue the great work.
Happy edgartown residentcontinue the great work. Security on ferry needs to be improved
They did a good job but its
A local citizen In the worldThey did a good job but its sad to say but drugs make there way anywhere,and keeping them off the island is gonna take some good police work. All it takes is a islander to travel to the city and offer up there home and forget it its over,soi say it to say this its not just keeping drugs off the island it the people on the island as well. This been going on for ever and its an epidemic and it needs to be controlled
Great! keep going guys.
jack obGreat! keep going guys. This is a scourge afflicting this community. Grateful to the Drug Task Force.
As despicable as these 2 men
gina menemsha/nycAs despicable as these 2 men are, they would not be here if there wasn't a demand for their products.. So as diligent as the drug task force is, bottom line is trying to fix the high Island drug demand/abuse.. Not sure that's entirely possible.. unfortunately ..
Articles like this make me so
Christine Powers WalthamArticles like this make me so glad that I left the Vineyard in 1987 to resume my education and earn my BA and MBA. When I lived on the Island, there was never any talk of heroin or opioids or the crime associated with those lethal substances. Sure, there was recreational use of marijuana at parties, but we never saw it as a gateway drug. I never smoke pot these days, even though I am eligible to receive medical marijuana for my Multiple Sclerosis.
Great going MVDTF. Thank you.
Brenda OBGreat going MVDTF. Thank you.
Who rented the house is my question.
Whose name are the utilities in.
Who scheduled and paid for the boat.
Who on Martha's Vineyard have they been in contact with.Let's take out the trash.
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