NORTH ADAMS -- More than 100 bags of heroin, with a street value of $1,500, were seized during a traffic stop in Savoy on Thursday night involving three North Adams residents, according to police.
Michele M. Boland, 53, Gordon Lear, 33, and Elizabeth M. Phaneuf, 32, were all arraigned in Northern Berkshire District Court on Friday on charges of possession of a Class A drug with intent to distribute and conspiracy to violate the drug law. They will return to court on March 8.
According to court documents, troopers from the Cheshire State Police Barracks were notified at approximately 8:45 p.m. by the Holyoke Narcotic Detective unit of a red 2007 Toyota Camry under surveillance traveling from Holyoke to Berkshire County. Troopers Steven Hean and Corey Mackey, while stationed on Route 116 on the Savoy-Plainfield line, observed the car traveling west.
After pulling the car over, police say Phaneuf was attempting to conceal something in her shirt.
The passengers were asked to exit the vehicle, which was searched by the Berkshire County Drug Task Force.
The search turned up a large amount of heroin and hypodermic needles.
North Adams Police Det. John LeClair, of the Berkshire County Drug Task Force, called the arrest "a great team effort" of Western Massachusetts public safety departments.
To reach Edward Damon, email
edamon@thetranscript.com.
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