Massachusetts Bust turns up coke, machine guns

A Lynn, Massachusetts man was arrested after a raid that netted17 kilograms of cocaine and two machine guns from undisclosed locations in Medford, Massachusetts.

After executing two search warrants in Medford, Massachusetts police seized an Uzi and a Tech machine gun with ammunition, a nine millimeter handgun and two motor vehicles.

Jose Morales, 32, was arrested and charged with trafficking in cocaine over 200 grams and three counts of illegal possession of a firearm. He pleaded not guilty at an arraignment at the Somerville, Massachusetts District Court on Tuesday, July 29.

The bust culminated a month-long investigation into cocaine trafficking in the greater Boston, Massachusetts area, and was executed by Massachusettsofficers from the State Police, Boston Police, Lynn Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the United States Postal Inspection Service.

State Police spokesman Sgt. David Paine said the 17 kilos are worth roughly $20,000 to $25,000 in street value, but the value increases when drug dealers dilute the drug with other substances.

"Depending on how pure it is, they're going to cut it down and use a filler to make it go from, say, one kilo to two kilos," Paine said. "If they want to double their money, they add a filler, whether it's flour or some other substance that looks like cocaine. Once it reaches the street and it's cut down, could be worth millions of dollars."