Tac Team catches drug deal going down

While conducting surveillance patrols along the

Palmetto Park Road corridor, members of the Boca Raton Police Services Department Tactical (Tac) Team observed a Toyota Camry exit I-95 and turn into the Palmetto Park Square (Kmart Plaza) with only one of its three tail lights working.  The officer followed the car into the plaza and watched as it parked in the middle of the lot.

A few minutes later, another car, a 2006 Lincoln Pickup, also pulled into the plaza and parked right next to the Camry. The driver of the pickup exited his vehicle and got into the backseat of the Camry.  After what appeared to be a hand to hand transaction, the male in the backseat exited and got back into the pickup and left heading east on Palmetto.  The Camry left and headed west.

Assisting officers followed the pickup and paced it going 50 mph in a 35 mph zone.  As officers approached the vehicle, they detected a strong smell of marijuana coming from the car.  The driver, Juan Gallardo, exited the vehicle and told officers, “I know what you are looking for, it’s in the backseat.”  In the backseat officers found a Ziploc bag containing more than 62 grams of marijuana.  Gallardo told officers he had purchased the weed from the occupants of the Camry.

Meanwhile, officers pulled over the occupants of the Camry due to the fact it only had one tail light working.  Again, officers smelled marijuana coming from the car.  They also saw three Ziploc bags of marijuana in plain view on the center console.  The driver, Carl Porcenat, and passenger, Andrew Gonzalez, were both questioned.  Porcenat said he wanted to speak to an attorney, but Gonzalez told officers they came to the plaza to buy marijuana from Gallardo.  He said he is a small time drug dealer and just started selling in February.  The bags contained over 77 grams of marijuana.

Gallardo, Porcenat and Gonzalez were all charged with Possession of Marijuana greater than 20 grams and Possession of Marijuana with intent to distribute and sale of marijuana within 1000 feet of a convenience store.