Lynn man denied bail after big heroin bust

LYNN – The Lynn man arrested Tuesday when police allegedly found 380 grams of heroin worth nearly $100,000 in his Maple Street home was ordered held without bail at his arraignment Wednesday in Lynn District Court.Claudirys De La Cruz, 25, of 284 Maple St. #2, was not eligible for bail because his most recent arrest violated terms of his parole from a July heroin possession case. Had he not committed the parole violation, he would have been eligible for release upon payment of $75,000 cash bail.The Essex County Drug Task Force, working with the Essex sheriff’s department, Lynn and state police, conducted a search warrant about 10:45 a.m. Tuesday and confiscated the heroin after finding it hidden inside a bathroom wall, police said.According to a police report, a three-by-five inch rectangular block of heroin nearly an inch deep was discovered inside a void in the wall. Police said $5,458 cash was found in a bedroom.The report said officers gained access to the home after knocking on the door and requesting to speak with De La Cruz’s girlfriend about her involvement in a minor traffic accident.A reluctant De La Cruz spoke with officers for about four minutes before allowing them inside, police said. After the jig was up, he refused to answer questions without a lawyer.Lynn police arrested De La Cruz July 2 after he was talking to a special investigations officer who was working a paid detail on Western Avenue when he noticed a plastic bag containing heroin was underneath De La Cruz’s tongue, police said.After a brief struggle, De La Cruz was handcuffed and charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute. While at the police station, police said De La Cruz’s cell phone rang. The female caller allegedly asked if she could obtain “two bags of brown,” meaning heroin, after an officer answered, according to police.In October 2005, De La Cruz was arrested after allegedly selling heroin to undercover officers in Saugus eight times over a 72-hour period.Police said De La Cruz is a Dominican Republic national but is living legally in the United States on a visa.