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Authorities: Paterson Detectives Bust Drug Buyer Who Claimed To Have Coronavirus

Two Paterson narcotics detectives were expected to be OK after arresting an accused drug buyer who claimed to have the coronavirus, authorities said.

Paterson police

Paterson police

Photo Credit: DAILY VOICE

The 38-year-old defendant previously was hospitalized for pneumonia but didn’t display COVID-19 symptoms, city Public Safety Director Jerry Speziale said Tuesday.

Because he inadvertently coughed near the two detectives who arrested him following the buy, both were “decontaminated and released from duty” to briefly self-quarantine at home, the director said.

“The two detectives are not exhibiting any symptoms and based on the investigation shall return to duty shortly,” Speziale added.

They seized nearly $12,000 from the accused buyer, whose name wasn’t immediately released because of federal confidentiality laws, the director said.

Speziale identified the accused dealer as Mohd Danoun, 45, who he said had nearly $5,000 seized from him.

Danoun sold the buyer a pound of pot and 54 Oxycontin pills on Knickerbocker Avenue before both were arrested Monday night, he said.

Both received summonses charging them with various drug counts before police released them pending court hearings, Speziale said.

The drugs were left in the accused buyer’s car to be disinfected, he said.

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