LEWISTON — A Blake Street man was arrested Friday after an undercover agent purchased $1,800 worth of methamphetamine from him in a Topsham parking lot, according to federal investigators.
Muktar Abshir Aden, 25, of 210 Blake St., was arrested at his home at 210 Blake St. on Friday morning and charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Homeland Security investigated the case against Aden with the help of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency as well as Lewiston and Maine State police.
According to court records, Homeland Security had been investigating the distribution of fentanyl, methamphetamine and other drugs in Androscoggin County since February.
In recent months, they began focusing on Aden and on Oct. 3, an undercover agent arranged to purchase 224 grams of methamphetamine from him, according to court records.
State and federal agents kept Aden under surveillance as he drove from his apartment to a parking lot in Topsham where the sale was to be conducted. Once the transaction was concluded, investigators said, Aden made arrangements to sell the undercover agent more methamphetamine at a later date.
Investigators said they also monitored a phone call received by Aden during which the sale of “sticky,” or 10 grams of drugs, was negotiated.
Once testing of the substance sold by Aden was complete, police and federal agents went to his home, using “flash bang” explosives to provide a distraction before rushing in to arrest the suspect.
Police searched Aden’s apartment after he was taken into custody. A witness reported police leaving the home with several bags full of evidence, although court documents did not describe the items seized.
Several people were escorted out of the home in handcuffs, although police did not disclose who those people are or why they were arrested. The suspects were taken info federal custody.
Aden, known on the street as “Mo,” was also taken into federal custody and made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Portland on Friday. A detention hearing was scheduled for Oct. 16.
The charge against him carries a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years.
On Thursday, Lewiston police with the help of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency searched a second Blake Street apartment where they arrested two men on drug charges.
In the search of 251 Blake St., police said they seized 142 grams of fentanyl, five grams of psilocybin mushrooms, two grams of methamphetamine and a pistol.
Arrested were Chad Fogg, 42, of Lewiston, who was charged with unlawful drug trafficking and violating conditions of release, and Joseph Moore, 27, of Lewiston, who was charged with aggravated drug trafficking.
Police said when Fogg was arrested, he was out of jail with six separate conditions of release from earlier charges.
Both men remained at the Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn on Friday.
