City Man Dealt Crack From Parked Car, Sheriff Says

A city man was arrested Wednesday after detectives from the Essex County Sheriff’s Office discovered 75 bags of crack cocaine concealed in a spray bottle the man had in his possession, Sheriff Armando Fontoura said in a statement.  

Detectives saw a woman approach a Nissan Sentra while it was parked at Montclair and Bloomfield avenues around 2:20 pm., Fontoura said. The woman and the driver, 22-year-old Jorge Jiminez, then appeared to exchange money and drugs, Fontoura said.

When detectives approached, Jiminez tried to throw a spray bottle onto the floor of the car, Fontoura said. Detectives discovered the bottle had a false bottom containing the crack, Fontoura said.

Jiminez has been charged with narcotics offenses and was being held on $85,000 bail.

Wednesday’s arrest is part of an ongoing operation by the sheriff’s Bureau of Narcotics targeting the North Ward drug trade. Last week, the bureau made 16 drug-related arrests in the area.