62 Bags of Cocaine in E. Union Blvd. Home, Police Say

A Bethlehem man has been charged as a suspected drug dealer after police found 62 ziplock bags of cocaine, along with quantities of heroin, marijuana, drug packing materials and an illegally owned handgun in his home Thursday, according to court papers.

Carmelo Pardo, 30, of 335 E. Union Blvd., also goes by several aliases and has a criminal record that includes prior drug cases, felony burglary and active protection from abuse orders, Bethlehem police say in an arrest affidavit.

Police obtained a search warrant for Pardo’s home on Thursday, according to arresting officer Det. Chris Benton. Police set up a surveillance operation around the home, which included members of the department’s vice and street crimes units.

At a little after 5 p.m., Pardo arrived at the home with another man, police said. After a short time, they left and got into a black Mercedes and were quickly stopped and detained, according to the affidavit.

Though police had a search warrant, Benton wrote that he contacted the home’s owner and got written permission to search for drug-related items.

Along with the 62 bags of cocaine, police allegedly found several plastic bags containing marijuana, two electric grinders containing heroin, empty wax packets, boxes of rubber bands, stampers, measuring spoons and the handgun.

Pardo, who has also gone by the names Carmelo Bernard, Jose Sanchez and Melvin Bernard, was charged with three counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, illegal possession of a firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was arraigned before on-duty District Judge Roy Manwaring and committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail.