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Passaic Sheriff: Detectives Crash Paterson Bicycle Drive-Up Drug Deal

PATERSON, N.J. -- It was a different kind of drive-up drug deal as a bicyclist exchanged heroin that he'd pulled from a car parked in his driveway with a buyer on a Paterson street , authorities said Thursday.

Lirse Jones

Lirse Jones

Photo Credit: MUGSHOT: Passaic County Sheriff

Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik said his narcotics detectives were following up on a tip about drugs being sold out of 447 E. 38th Street when they saw Lirse Jones, 25, get into the car, parked in the driveway of a residence, and removed what turned out to be heroin early Wednesday evening.

He then mounted a bicycle, peddled to E. 38th Street and Market Street, then pulled up to a black Ford Explorer, Berdnik said.

The same detectives had arrested Jones twice before -- on March 4, when they recovered 1,841 envelopes of heroin, and on April 27, when he was found with 100 folds, the sheriff said.

The driver, 30-year-old Christopher Vanwyk, handed him cash for the drugs, then both went their separate ways, the sheriff said.

Detectives stopped Vanwyk with 20 envelopes of heroin, Berdnik said. He was later processed at headquarters and released on a court summons.

They also stopped Jones on his bicycle and seized more than $300 from him in suspected drug proceeds, the sheriff said.

Then they returned to his residence, searched the vehicle in the driveway and found 3,876 envelopes of heroin inside, he said.

The total value of the drugs was $15,000, Berdnik said.

Jones was taken to the Passaic County Jail pending a bail detention hearing on drug distribution and other charges.

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