Donkeys Drug car stolen from Abington police By Allan Stein, Enterprise correspondent
ABINGTON — A car seized by authorities during Saturday's arrest of a Lawrence man on heroin trafficking charges is missing from the police station parking lot.
“It shows the area needs to be fenced in better,” Police Chief David G. Majenski said Monday.
Police impounded the 1995 Toyota Camry that was being driven by Mario Monell-Ortiz, 39, of 51 High St., Lawrence.
He is charged with trafficking in heroin, a subsequent offense of possession of heroin for distribution, violating drug laws near a school or park, failure to stop for a police officer, reckless operation and a marked lanes violation, police said.
Majenski said the arrest was the result of a two-month investigation involving Abington, Randolph and Braintree police in conjunction with the South Shore Drug Task Force.
“We had received information that this person was selling large quantities of heroin in the Abington, Holbrook and Randolph area,” said Majenski, adding Monell-Ortiz allegedly had been selling heroin in Abington for “quite some time.”
Based on information by anonymous sources, authorities set up a surveillance area and at 9:10 p.m. police attempted a traffic stop. During the attempt, Monell-Ortiz allegedly struck an unmarked cruiser before he was cornered at the Abington Country Store at 852 Hancock St.
As police approached the vehicle, Monell-Ortiz was observed holding a plastic bag filled with what appeared to be heroin, police said.
Ten other bags containing the substance were found scattered on the front seat of the vehicle. The combined weight of the 11 bags was 16.2 grams, police said.
Police said 14 grams is the minimum needed to bring a drug trafficking charge.
The drugs were estimated at $1,700 in street value, police said.
A field test confirmed the substance as heroin. The contents have been sent to a police lab in Sudbury for independent testing, Majenski said.
Police impounded the Toyota Camry as evidence in the parking area behind the police station at 215 Center St. Monell-Ortiz later posted $5,000 bail pending arraignment Monday in Brockton District Court.
However, on Saturday night or early Sunday morning someone entered the lot unseen and drove off with the vehicle, police said.
Majenski said an all-points bulletin has been sent out in hopes of retrieving the vehicle.
He said the car was missing before police could conduct a more exhaustive search.
“It shows you the different things that might have been in the car. Someone obviously had an interest in the car and what was in the car,” Majenski said.
“It is embarrassing that we didn't have the means to lock down the vehicle,” he added.
Majenski said the incident underscores the need for a better police facility.
On Friday, the Police Station Building Committee will hold a meeting to discuss proposals to reduce construction costs on a new $6.3 million police station.
The committee recently rejected bids from three general contractors that came in too high and are considering a less costly station.
The new station will include a secure area for impounded vehicles, Majenski said.
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