A traffic stop following a police chase in South Portland early Saturday morning led to the arrest of two Massachusetts men on drugs and weapons charges after police found large amounts of suspected drugs in the vehicle hidden in candy packaging.
South Portland Police say that at about 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, an officer in a marked police cruiser on Westbrook Street observed a vehicle passing at a high rate of speed.
When the officer began to follow the vehicle with lights and sirens on in order to attempt to conduct a traffic stop for the speeding violation, the vehicle did not stop and continued through the Brickhill neighborhood, police said.
Ultimately the suspect vehicle was cornered in a dead end after turning on to Osprey Circle, at which point the vehicle backed into the police cruiser in “an apparent attempt to evade and go around,” but was disabled as a result of the collision.
The driver and passenger of the vehicle were then ordered out of the vehicle at gunpoint, police said.
Police learned during the on-scene investigation that both males inside of the vehicle were from Massachusetts.
During a search of the vehicle, large amounts of suspected drugs were found disguised in popular candy packaging. Officers also seized a knife, drug equipment, cash and several cell phones from the vehicle.
Police say the driver of the vehicle, 21-year-old Hamza A. Mahamud of Roxbury, Mass., did not have a valid driver’s license.
Mahamud was charged with reckless conduct with dangerous weapon, aggravated criminal mischief, unlawful trafficking in cocaine and marijuana, unlawful possession of methamphetamine and cocaine base (crack cocaine), aggravated trafficking in heroin and fentanyl powder, operating without a license, failure to stop and driving to endanger.
The passenger, 33-year-old Gerald A. Daughtry of Roslindale, Mass., was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, unlawful trafficking in cocaine and marijuana, unlawful possession of methamphetamine, aggravated trafficking in heroin and fentanyl powder and unlawful possession of cocaine base.
Mahamud and Daughtry were both taken to the Cumberland County Jail, and were placed under $30,000 cash bail each.
Police say no one was hurt in the incident.
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