Cops across the Northeast have had their hands full this week — from drug busts and gun seizures to deadly shootings and violent crime scenes stretching from Massachusetts to Philadelphia.
In Worcester, police say a routine traffic stop led to a major drug arrest Thursday afternoon. Around 12:30 p.m., officers pulled over a speeding car near Main and Chandler Streets and quickly uncovered what they say was a stash of drugs ready for sale. The front seat passenger, 21-year-old Armani Santiago of Worcester, allegedly had multiple baggies of crack cocaine and marijuana tucked inside a large black bag. Investigators said the packaging was consistent with drug distribution. Santiago was hit with two charges — possession of a Class B substance with intent to distribute and possession of a Class D substance with intent to distribute. The driver and three other passengers were allowed to leave.
Just two days earlier, detectives with Worcester’s Crime Gun Intelligence Unit were patrolling the Lincoln Street area when they spotted a man wanted on warrants. During the arrest, cops say they found a gun with no serial number — completely untraceable. The suspect, 38-year-old Matthew Gambrel, was cuffed and charged with a laundry list of gun offenses, including carrying a loaded firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without an FID card, and possession of a large-capacity weapon with a feeding device…