APD officers monitor Alvarado Transit Center, make 4 arrests
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – If worries come with the thought of riding an Albuquerque city bus, you’re not alone.
In fact, your concerns are a big reason why police are cracking down on city bus stops. They’re now focusing on drug activity in some of the roughest parts of town.
Some people have noticed illegal activities at the Alvarado Transit Center. Those concerns popped up at last week’s Downtown Public Safety ECHO meeting.
As part of an APD tactical plan, a handful of officers focused on the Alvarado Transit Center for three days. They stopped 23 suspicious people, and made four felony arrests.
But two of them are not only out of jail — their cases have already been dropped.
As part of an APD tactical plan, a handful of officers focused on the Alvarado Transit Center for three days.
Police say Andrea De Luna and Felisha Montano were spotted with drug paraphernalia.
De Luna says she was just cleaning up trash, and Montano was found with a syringe that tested positive for meth. Both are out of jail and are not facing charges.
A spokesperson for the district attorney says police didn’t provide enough evidence and the cases were dropped.
Police say the other two – Mark Smith and Juliana Garcia – have extensive records and are still in jail after police witnessed them with fentanyl.
During the heat of the day, KOB 4 crews didn’t see APD out there, but we did see Metro Security escort a woman with a shopping cart off the property.
Neighbors say it appears the changes by police are making a difference.