Peabody man charged with heroin possession

PEABODY – During a midday multi-jurisdictional operation led by the Peabody Police Narcotics Unit, in conjunction with the Lynnfield Police Dept. K-9 Unit and the Ipswich Police Department/D.E.A. Task Force Officer, a search warrant was executed at a Peabody residence – 14 Collins St., Apt. 18, where officers seized approximately 15 grams of heroin and $3,500 in cash profits from the dwelling.According to Det. Michael Crane, one resident was taken into custody, Yunior Taveras, 23, of Peabody, and charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Taveras will be arraigned at Peabody District Court Tuesday.He said a neighborhood tip led to the bust.?The investigation stemmed from numerous anonymous tips received via MyPd, an anonymous tip reporting venue available through the Peabody Police website or may be downloaded as a smartphone app,” said Crane.Thomas M. Griffin, Chief of Police, said all went well with the dealer, and that Taveras was cooperative when they showed him the search warrant to go into his apartment and placed him into custody.Griffin said Taveras? bail hasn?t been set, and he could face state prison time – all dependent upon his previous record.?It happens at times,” Griffin said. “What really helped us are the eyes and ears from people about what?s going on. It initially started with following up on a neighborhood tip. Several months into the investigation, we were able to get a search warrant Friday.”Griffin said it?s a sign of the times, saying there?s been three search warrants within the past month alone.?That?s a high number,” Griffin said. “It appears they used oxycontin in the 90s, but because heroin is so cheap, they?ve transitioned into that.Calling it an epidemic that has spun out of control, Griffin said the use has led to uncontrollable heroin overdoses and often lifetime addictions.?The most popular age group is 18 to 32,” Griffin said. “It?s sad. We?ve gone through different phases at different times. I know we had four overdoses in a 24-hour period around Christmas.”Crane said it is not specific to Peabody. For Essex County, there?s Lynn, Salem, Haverhill and Lawrence.?It is well-known neighboring communities are facing the same issues with these types of medical responses,” Crane said. “Many departments are adopting the use of the drug Narcan. Oftentimes, patrol officers arrive prior to emergency medical services.Narcan, similar to a mist up the nose, stops the overdose for the time being in hopes to prevent death.Griffin said it is a brown powder and often comes in a baggie or wax paper stamped by a sticker by the dealer.?They shoot in their arm, but when their veins collapse, they move to other body parts,” Griffin said. “It shuts down the body so that it slows the heart down too much. The brain isn?t telling them to breathe properly, so we?ll give them rescue breathing.”There is also the good samaritan law, where police aren?t allowed to press charges for those seeking help from addiction.?Numerous states are reporting a rise in heroin use as many addicts shift from more costly and harder-to-get prescription opiates to this cheaper alternative,” Crane said. “The overdoses are triggered by the purity and ingredients street level dealers are peddling to their “customers.”