Police: 2 arrested in sting have links to Mexico drug ring

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Police: 2 arrested in sting have links to Mexico drug ring
2:48 PM Mon, Aug 04, 2008 | Permalink | Write the first comment
By Brandie Jefferson Email

The police yesterday arrested two suspected cocaine distributors and seized hundreds of thousands of dollars during an undercover operation that began with a meeting in a West Greenwich hotel, and ended in gunshots and a failed getaway attempt.

The police say the two men "have connections" to a major drug ring in Mexico, and that they were trying to break into the Rhode Island cocaine market.

At about 8 p.m. yesterday, West Greenwich and state police met with the two suspects, Manuel Fernandez, 44, of Providence, and Marco A. Vazquez-Borrego, 47, of Texas, at the Super 8 Motel in West Greenwich.

According to a statement released by the state police, undercover troopers had negotiated the sale of 15 kilos of cocaine for $300,000: the undercover police brought drugs and the suspects brought the cash.

Once the deal was done, an arrest team tried to take Vazquez-Borrego and Fernandez into custody, but the two got in a black SUV and tried to make a getaway. The police say they yelled at the driver, Fernandez, to stop, but he tried to hit the officers with his car. Two officers each fired a shot at the SUV.

More police moved in and the suspects continued to try to escape, eventually traveling down a narrow roadway and getting stuck. According to the state police, the suspects still didn't get out of the vehicle, and the driver was making "furtive movements" in the driver's seat.

The police fired four more rounds at the vehicle, and then took the two into custody. Fernandez had a "minor" injury to his leg that the police say was caused either by the broken glass of the SUV, or by a bullet fragment.

The two are being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions, in Cranston, awaiting a formal arraignment.

Karinina Gorman
Director

RIILE
P.O. Box 1
Central Falls, RI 02863
www.riile.org

I hope this doesn't turn into another Ramos & Compean situation. But then there is also litigation about the scratch one guy got while trying to flee. Hopefully Rhode Island does have a Johnny Sutton type in their midst.