Two Pounds of Pot, 50 Xanax Seized in Somerville bust

SOMERVILLE, MA - Nearly two pounds of marijuana and 50 xanax pills were seized after a drug bust in which detectives were alerted to dealing by a high volume of pedestrian traffic in and out of one Temple Street home.

Franklin Argueta, of 40 Memorial Rd., was arrested and charged with conspiracy to violate a drug law, possession of a class B drug and possession of a class D drug with intent to distribute. Police said they followed a well known drug user to an address known for reported drug activity where they saw Argueta conduct a hand to hand marijuana transaction, police said.

"I was going to give you the weed anyway," the customer said then handed the officer the baggie of marijuana, according to police. The customer then yelled, "It's only a half ounce so you can't arrest me," according to police. An officer explained that conspiracy to violate the drug laws was a criminal offense and the customer became nervous, police said.

The customer told police he bought the marijuana for $100 on Temple Street. Drug-unit detectives went to Temple Street where they arrested Argueta. In a search, detectives found $7,490, including $4,220 in a pair of Jordan sneakers, and over eight hundred grams, or 1.7 pounds, of marijuana.