Edwardsville police encounter suspected drug sale, seize firearm and illicit narcotics

EDWARDSVILLE — Police in Edwardsville investigating two men sitting inside a vehicle for a length of time at the Hilltop Apartment Complex ended up finding a large amount of illicit drugs and a firearm with an altered serial number Monday.

Naasir A. Morrison, 23, of North River Street, Wilkes-Barre, was arrested and charged with attempting to deliver methamphetamine to two men in the parking lot, according to court records.

Police responded to the apartment complex after receiving a complaint that two men were sitting inside a parked truck for more than 30 minutes.

As officers watched the truck, Morrison was observed exiting an apartment and walked towards the two men, court records say.

Morrison then walked away from the truck as two officers approached.

Police in court records say the two men inside the truck appeared nervous and fumbled their hands looking for their identification cards.

One of the men inside the truck admitted they were at the apartment complex to purchase $20 worth of methamphetamine as the money was passed through a cash app, court records say.

Police obtained a search warrant for the apartment Morrison was seen exiting earlier.

During a search of the apartment, police in court records say they found packaged bags of suspected methamphetamine, packaging materials, a scale, several cellular phones and a loaded 9mm handgun with an altered serial number.

A second search warrant was obtained for the apartment resulting in police finding additional packaged bags of suspected methamphetamine, bags of suspected marijuana, more cellular phones and packaging materials, court records say.

The two men in the truck have not been charged as of Tuesday.

Morrison was arraigned by District Judge David Barilla of Forty Fort on charges of possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, illegal possession of a firearm, criminal use of communication facility, criminal attempt to deliver a controlled substance and two counts each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Morrison was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $10,000 bail.