Andover Man Held on $5 Million Bail After Large Cocaine Bust

An Andover resident, who was caught with over 100 pounds of cocaine on Friday on Interstate 495, was arraigned Monday morning in Lawrence District Court and was held on $5 million cash bail.

Andover man Jose Martinez, 51, of 123 Chesnut St., was targeted in a three-month long investigation of the Essex County Drug Task Force that culminated in his arrest this past Friday, April 5, and the search of his Chestnut Street home, where they found money and firearms.

Martinez is due back in court on May 6 for a probable cause hearing, at which time it will be decided whether he will go before a grand jury.

According to the police report, investigators began looking into Martinez after they observing him while investigating drug activity at the Holiday Inn in Tewksbury. Police later learned that police seized over $100,000 at the Los Angelos Airport in October of 2012, which prompted them to begin a more intensive investigation.

During a sting at the Holiday Inn in Tewksbury in March, police seized nearly $1 million from a tractor trailer truck that police observed Martinez gain access to shortly before seizing the cash. Both tractor trailer drivers denied knowledge of the cash.

State Police investigators believe that Martinez's Chestnut Street home was used to distribute hundreds of pounds of cocaine.