Police: Barber shop bust sends message

WOONSOCKET, R.I. (WPRI) - Woonsocket Police showed off the evidence seized during a recent barber shop drug raid, and issued a warning Tuesday to other business owners conducting illegal activity in the city.

"It sends a message to anybody out there who's using a business as a front to disguise their illegal activity: If you're engaged in that, we're coming after you," says Woonsocket Police Captain Ed Lee.

Woonsocket Police seized drugs, cash, and a gun after SWAT teams raided the Chop Shop on Arnold Street Saturday, and the home of its owner, Julio Oquendo.

"For several months now we've been getting tips through our tipline from concerned citizens that there's been illegal narcotic activity at the Chop Shop," Capt. Lee explained.

Oquendo and an employee, George Cruz-Rivera, were arrested and charged with using the business as a front for a drug dealing operation.

"It was the guise of a legitimate business," says Capt. Lee. "They did have customers there, but their main income at that location was their illegal sales of narcotics."

Oquendo's girlfriend,  Samantha Fortune, was also arrested.  In all, police seized $10,000 worth of crack cocaine and marijuana, along with a gun and $7,000 in cash.

Oquendo and Fortune were ordered held without bail. Police also arrested a fourth man, Robert Morris, for breaking into Oquendo's apartment shortly after the raid.