HOLYOKE — Holyoke Police Chief Brian Keenan announced Monday that members of the Holyoke Police Narcotics Unit and Drug Enforcement Administration seized trafficking amounts of heroin/fentanyl and cocaine while arresting 35-year-old Dwayne Howlette on Oak Street.
For several weeks, Holyoke Police detectives working with DEA agents had been investigating the illegal distribution of narcotics with Howlette as a suspect.
On Monday, Holyoke detectives and DEA agents applied for and were granted a search warrant for Howlette’s home on the 200 block of Oak Street in Holyoke.
Around 5 p.m. Monday, members of the Holyoke Police Narcotics Unit, DEA, Western Massachusetts FBI Gang Task Force, Hampden County Narcotics Task Force and SAFE Unit were preparing to execute the warrant when they observed Howlette get into an SUV and begin to drive away.
With the knowledge that Howlette had a suspended license, DEA agents conducted a traffic stop on Oak Street.
Howlette came to an abrupt stop and reversed into a DEA vehicle.
DEA agents removed Howlette from the vehicle and placed him under arrest.
Law enforcement officers then executed the search warrant.
During the search of the home, officers recovered approximately 1,800 bags of heroin/fentanyl, four bags of suspected cocaine weighing approximately 152 grams, nine rounds of ammunition, a firearm magazine and $4,200 in cash.
During a search of the SUV, officers recovered additional suspected heroin/fentanyl and cocaine.
The total approximate weight of the heroin/fentanyl recovered was 48.25 grams and the total approximate weight of the cocaine recovered was 157.25 grams.
Howlette of Holyoke is charged with trafficking heroin/fentanyl 36-100 grams, trafficking cocaine 100-200 grams, possession of ammunition without an FID card, resisting arrest, wanton destruction of property over $1,200, and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.
