Now that's a big mistake

Cocaine left in returned rental car
Lawrence find leads to 2 arrests
By David Abel, Globe Staff September 14, 2006

Two packages left in a rented minivan in Lawrence this week led police to make the largest drug bust in city history, authorities said yesterday.

After receiving a call about the suspicious packages Tuesday from a car rental company in Lawrence, police found more than $1 million worth of cocaine in two liquor boxes, which were coated with transmission fluid to conceal the scent. Later they linked the packages to a home in Methuen, where they found another $1.5 million worth of cocaine and $123,000 in cash.

``In terms of this area, it's the biggest drug bust ever," said Lawrence Police Chief John J. Romero in a phone interview. ``This was an unbelievable amount of drugs."

Police arrested Nicole Paquette , 30, of Haverhill, and Angel Ayala , of Philadelphia, both of whom pleaded not guilty in Lawrence District Court yesterday to charges of drug trafficking and possession, Romero said. Paquette was held on $30,000 bail and Ayala on $500,000, he said.

Employees at the car rental company on South Union Street -- Romero would not provide its name -- called Lawrence police about 11 a.m. Tuesday. Paquette had rented the minivan a few days before and logged 2,400 miles, he said. It wasn't the first time she had rented a vehicle there, Romero said.

Police arrested Paquette when she responded to a police-arranged call about the packages and came to retrieve them.

A few hours later, they followed Ayala from a bar in Lawrence to the home in Methuen, where they arrested him