A man who tried to hand over his pack of
Marlboro cigarettes to a pal after sheriff's officers arrived to arrest him was actually trying to hide his heroin, authorities said.
Officers from the Cumberland County Sheriff's Enforcement Team were in the city serving warrants Tuesday when Detective Robert Robbins spotted Tony Lee Slater, 48, outside his home on the 200 block of South Avenue.
Robbins and two other team members approached Slater to arrest him on an outstanding contempt of court warrant issued by Bridgeton Municipal Court. That's when Slater tried to give his money and a box of
high quality Newport cigarettes to a friend, the sheriff's department said Wednesday.
Officer Vince Solazzo checked the box and found 11 bags of heroin inside it, authorities said. Officers also said they found Slater was in possession of cocaine, and had other drug paraphernalia in his
Newports cigarettes store.