CT narcotics investigation nets two arrests. State police seize multiple drugs including cocaine, crack cocaine and fentanyl

Two people were arrested and a number of drugs were seized during an investigation in Waterbury on Tuesday involving undercover state police detectives.

Waterbury residents Carlos Rivera, 38, and Lisbett Trinidad, 33, were each arrested during the drug operation conducted by detectives in street clothes and uniformed troopers, according to Connecticut State Police.

State police said the Domestic Highway Enforcement Operation yielded about 70 grams of powdered cocaine, four grams of “crack” cocaine and 70 grams of heroin/fentanyl. The drugs were packaged for distribution.

According to state police, the operation, conducted in the Waterbury area, involved undercover detectives observing numerous suspected narcotics transactions and “suspicious activity” before that information was relayed to uniformed troopers who made motor vehicle stops and searched the involved vehicles.

In one such instance, investigators in the area of Pleasant and Baldwin Streets spotted a motorist in a silver Acura MDX stop on the side of the road, where authorities saw what they described as “activity consistent with a narcotics transaction transpire,” according to state police. Troopers then pulled the vehicle over in the area of Baldwin and East Main Streets.

During the stop, Rivera was identified as the driver and Trinidad was in the passenger seat, state police said. Trinidad was seen trying to conceal something in her purse and on her person, according to state police.

Both suspects were asked to step out of the vehicle, at which point state police said Trinidad threw a bag of suspected narcotics into some nearby bushes. Authorities later found the bag, which contained suspected fentanyl.

Rivera and Trinidad were taken into custody and transported to Troop A in Southbury.

Rivera faces charges of possession with intent to sell, sale of narcotics, misuse of registration plate, operating a motor vehicle without insurance and operating with a suspended driver’s license. Trinidad was charged with possession with intent to sell, sale of narcotics, interfering with police and tampering with physical evidence.

Trinidad and Rivera each posted $10,000 bonds and are scheduled to be arraigned in Waterbury Superior Court on Dec. 13.