An investigation conducted by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office with assistance by the Manville Police Department recently resulted in the arrest of two Newark men and the seizure of thousands of dollars worth of illicit drugs.
According to Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson, police arrested Omar Narvaez-Mata, 27, and Edgar A. Caraballo Jr., 29, just after 3 p.m. on Monday, May 7 with approximately 750 decks of heroin and $278 in suspected drug proceeds in their possession.
Officials said they had received a tip that Narvaez-Mata would be making his way to a fast food restaurant parking lot on North Main Street with the heroin earlier that day.
With a surveillance team consisting of detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Organized Crime and Narcotics Task Force and the Manville Police Department, officials said they watched Narvaez-Mata arrive at the parking lot in a Jeep Liberty SUV, with Caraballo riding as a passenger.
After parking the Jeep, police said they watched Narvaez-Mata go into the restaurant while Caraballo waited in the vehicle.
When detectives eventually approached the two men, officials say Narvaez-Mata “became combative and purposely disobeyed law enforcement’s commands.”
As a result of the investigation and subsequent arrest, Narvaez-Mata was charged with second degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute, second degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute within 500 feet of a public park, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest, both disorderly person offenses.
Caraballo was arrested on an outstanding warrant out of Paramus municipal court for failure to appear.
The prosecutor’s office estimates that the seized narcotics have a street value of approximately $3,750.
Narvaez-Mata was taken to the Somerset County Jail, in Somerville, pending a detention hearing, while Caraballo was released on his own recognizance pending a new Paramus municipal court date.
