A St. James teenager was arrested on drug charges after heroin was seized from his home early Friday morning, Suffolk police said.
James McHugh, 17, a Smithtown West High School student, was investigated following community complaints of drug activity at his Moriches Road home, where police executed a search warrant that turned up heroin during the raid at 5:45 a.m., according to 4th Squad Narcotics Enforcement / Special Operations Team (NE/SOT) detectives, who were joined by Narcotics Section detectives.
“Heroin has really taken off in the past couple years as the drug of choice among young people,” said Detective Lt. Robert Edwards, who was not able to disclose the quantity of heroin seized but noted that the suspect was dealing to young people in the community and from the home where he lives with his parents.
McHugh was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminally possessing a hypodermic instrument and two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance.
McHugh will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Saturday.