Suspicious package leads to big coke bust

LYNN-The suspicions of a Postal Service employee helped launch an investigation that ended with to two Lynn men under arrest Wednesday on cocaine distribution charges, police said.Adalberto Santana, 29, of 102 South St. and Jose L. Cruz, 24, of 108 Franklin St. #20 were both arrested and charged with trafficking over 200 grams of cocaine late Wednesday afternoon. The men were arrested within hours after a U.S. Postal Inspector came across an express package from Puerto Rico that seemed out of the ordinary.The parcel was then reviewed by a drug-sniffing dog, which indicated it had a controlled substance inside.The package was addressed to Cruz’s residence. So later in the afternoon an undercover Lynn police officer posed as a mail carrier to deliver it.Police said the box contained five kilos of suspected cocaine.When Cruz signed for the package, he didn’t know the mail carrier was an undercover officer with a search warrant, police said.About 30 minutes after police entered Cruz’s apartment, Santana arrived but didn’t realize officers were present, police said.While officers were still inside the apartment, Santana allegedly took possession of the package before several Essex County Drug Task Force officers emerged and cuffed him.The Postal Inspector told police four other suspicious packages had recently been addressed to either Cruz or Santana.Lynn District Court Judge Michael Lauranzano released Cruz on personal recognizance during the duo’s arraignments on Thursday. Santana was held on $20,000 cash bail. The men are due back in court Dec. 18.