PORTLAND — A Portland man who was arrested Friday and charged with selling crack cocaine will make his first appearance at Portland Unified Criminal Court Monday.

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, working with Portland police, arrested Nega M. Negash, 39, after police, acting on information provided by the agency, stopped an Acura sedan on Congress Street near Marston Street after the driver failed to stop at a stop sign.

A drug dog was brought to the scene and indicated that drugs were in the vehicle. After searching the car, agents found a bag in the trunk containing a little less than six ounces of a substance suspected to be crack cocaine with a street value of about $16,000. Agents also found $1,954 cash in the car.

“Anybody with this quantity (of drugs) is definitely a major player in the game,” said Sgt. Kevin Cashman, supervisor for the MDEA unit in Cumberland County.

The dog also indicated on other areas of the car that police could not immediately search, Cashman said. Agents seized the vehicle and have applied for search warrants to search the car for potentially more contraband concealed inside.

Negash was arrested and charged with aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, a class A felony.

Negash is being held at the Cumberland County Jail on $20,000 bail.
 


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