What started out as a police detail to catch drunk drivers became a drug bust task force with the arrest of three suspects who Stamford Police said had 350 bags of heroin stashed in their car.
Officers on the detail were going to stop a motorist for not using a directional when turning from Stillwater Avenue onto Schuyler Avenue just before 7 p.m. Thursday when a registration check indicated the insurance had been cancelled on the Ford Focus, according to Sgt. Chris Broems, a member of the detail.
The driver appeared "nervous and jumpy" and was unable to answer officers' questions, Broems said. A female passenger gave officers information that conflicted with the driver, Broems said.
As officers prepared to have the car towed because of the motor vehicle violations, the department's canine unit of Officer Richard Phelan and canine Cronin were called in. Cronin indicated there were drugs in the car, prompting a search of the Focus, Broems said.
Officers found 350 bags of $20 bags of heroin with the label 'True Religion' packed in a container filled with rice in the back seat where there was a second passenger, Broems said. The rice was used to soak up the humidity in an attempt preserve the drug. Ironically, the driver stopped in front Sacred Heart Church at 37 Schuyler Ave. He estimated the street value at $7,000. "That's a lot of heroin coming into Stamford," Broems said.
The driver was identified as Alfred Smart, 28, of 81 Elmwood Ave., Bridgeport, and the backseat passenger, Rafael Cruz, 34, of 7 Lester St., Stamford, each were charged with possession of narcotics, sale of narcotics, possession of drugs within 1,500 feet of a school, public housing or day care center, conspiracy for possession of narcotics, conspiracy to sell narcotics, conspiracy to possess drugs within 1,500 feet of a school, public housing or day care center.
Cruz also was charged with second-degree forgery for providing police with a false name and signing documents with that name. Smart also was charged with failure to use traffic control signal. Bond was set at $75,000 each.
The female passenger, Ariane Rey, 34, of 4 Crescent St. Ansonia, was charged with possession of narcotics, sale of narcotics, possession of drugs within 1,500 feet of a school, public housing or day care center and distribution of a controlled substance. Broems said Rey was released on a promise to appear in court "so that she could go home and take care of her five children."
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