A Chappaqua man and a Shenorock woman were arrested for possession of about 32 grams of heroin after they were stopped for a traffic law violation on Tuesday, New York State Police said today.
Aleksandra Halerz, 23, and Joseph Watts 23, were arrested on Jan. 8 by troopers in the Somers barracks in conjunction with the Westchester County District Attorney Narcotics Initiative.
Halerz and Watts were found to be in possession of a syringe as well as 106 packages— which is approximately 32 grams—of heroin.
They were charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, felonies.
The two were arraigned before Somers Town Justice Dennis Timone and remanded to the Westchester County Jail. They are due back in Somers Court on Monday, Jan. 14.
The arrests are the latest in a heroin drug bust in northern Westchester and Putnam counties.
There has been an increase in drug overdoses and several recent deaths have highlighted the problem, police officials said. Three suspected heroin overdoses occurred in Somers last month, resulting in two deaths.
On Dec. 19, 2012, a four-month investigation into heroin distribution in the northern towns of Westchester County led to raids in Somers and Yorktown, according to state police. Police arrested Peter Muir, 25, Alora Muir, 19, and Cody Vonelm, 19, all from Somers, and Bret Oleet, 25, of Yorktown.
