LANCASTER — A Lancaster Recycling Center employee was arrested for allegedly making a drug deal in the parking lot of his workplace in an enforcement operation headed by the police bureau’s Selective Enforcement Unit, the agency announced Thursday.
According to the police report, officers had received a tip that the employee, Alexandro Serrano, 21, of the 600 block of Claremont Avenue, was distributing narcotics in the parking lot of the business, which is located at 850 New Holland Avenue, during his work shift. The management of the recycling center assisted officers in the investigation.
On Wednesday, police surveillance detail at the parking lot observed Serrano making a hand-to-hand drug transaction in the parking lot. The alleged buyer, Joshua Ortiz, 22, of the 600 block of East King Street, was arrested after officers located a small amount of marijuana in Ortiz’s vehicle after it had been stopped on the 600 block of East Madison Street.
Officers continued their surveillance until Serrano’s shift ended. They stopped his vehicle on the 500 block of North Franklin Street. Police searched the vehicle and found 68 grams of marijuana, packaging material, a digital scale, $410 in currency, and a Glock 9 mm handgun with an extended 30-round magazine. Serrano was arrested without incident.
Further investigation showed that Serrano was licensed to carry a concealed weapon, but the firearm was seized after the felony arrest. The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department will be contacted to revoke the permit, police say.
Serrano was charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia and was taken to Lancaster County Prison for arraignment, police say. Ortiz was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia and released on a summons, according to police.
