ESTERO, Fla., - Two top-level drug dealers are now facing charges related to possessing and selling marijuana.
A Lee County Sheriff’s Office narcotics operation led to the arrest of Abraha Teddy Tesfazghi-Simmons, 21, and Mark Salem, 22, Thursday.
Detectives found 10,272 grams (more than 20 lbs.) of marijuana worth $69,000, 80 THC resin cartridges, and $106,253.00 cash in their homes.
Residents in the Osprey Cove Apartments and nearby Timberwalk community where the men lived say they’re shocked to learn what detectives discovered in their neighborhood.
“It’s creepy and a little bit scary that something like that was happening,” said one neighbor.
Some neighbors tell 4 In Your Corner they sometimes could smell weed when they walked outside, but never suspected that significant amounts of weed was being stored so close to them.
“This is a nice quiet neighborhood. I’d never think anything like that would be happening,” said Jordan Denhart, a neighbor.
“These arrests are not uncommon because drugs have no boundary. Drug dealers are going to sell drugs wherever they are. Selling drugs is big money and that’s what these people want to make is big money. But they’re also going to pay the price when they get caught,” said Walter Zalisko, a law enforcement expert.
In the operation, detectives used people with knowledge of the men and their illegal activity to catch Simmons and Salem in the act. A fake customer would set up a time to meet with the dealer individually as detectives were waiting to make an arrest.
Simmons and Salem have bonded out of jail.
