Woman tells nephew, 10, to hide cocaine, cash, say Mass. cops

(CBS/AP) LOWELL, Mass. - Two people were arrested during an investigation that led police to nearly a half-kilo of cocaine, two handguns and a 10-year-old boy with a bag of drugs and cash, told to hide it from police.

The Lowell Sun reports Lowell's Special Investigations Unit conducted a probe that led them to pull over an SUV Saturday around 12:15 p.m. Inside the vehicle Capt. Jonathan Webb said detectives found 472 grams of cocaine and a loaded, large-capacity 9 mm handgun in a mechanical "hide." Freddie Morales-Lugo was arrested at the scene.

Later, as part of the same investigation, police had surveillance on a house in Lowell, and watched as Yina Gonzalez, 31, gave a trash bag to a 10-year-old boy, who carried the bag off the property.

Law enforcement officials found the boy and had a police dog sniff the bag, in which they found a small amount of cocaine, a digital scale, and about $3,000 in cash.

Police said they believe Gonzalez "sent her nephew with the items in a bag across the street to hide evidence from police."

Inside the house, police found a .357 revolver, along with dozens of rounds of ammunition.

Gonzalez was charged with trafficking more than 200 grams of cocaine, trafficking cocaine in a school zone, conspiracy to violate drug laws, and distribution to a minor. Morales-Lugo was given similar charges, and more.

Webb and Lowell Police Superintendent Kenneth Lavallee said detectives did good work on the case. He said, ""It's simply outrageous and a sad commentary on society that adults would allegedly use and ultimately abuse a child in their alleged secreting of illegal narcotics evidence."

The two accused were being held without bail and were scheduled to be arraigned Monday.