HELL'S KITCHEN — When police caught a man dealing crack cocaine near Port Authority, he shoved the drug into his mouth, according to the NYPD.
Daurys Payano, 18, handed a bag of crack cocaine to someone in exchange for cash on a corner of Ninth Avenue and West 42nd Street about 11:30 a.m. Monday, police said they saw.
When officers approached and searched Payano, they found two small plastic bags of crack in his mouth, plus another three in his jacket pocket, police said.
Payano also had a knife, which he told police he uses for "protection," according to the NYPD.
Payano was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell. He was released without bail and set return to court July 15.
Payano's lawyer could not be reached.
The incident occured just blocks from where a 22-year-old was arrested last month after he ate a lit marijuana cigarette in the hopes of hiding it from the police, the NYPD said.
Other notable crimes in this week's NYPD blotter for the 10th Precinct include:
► A thief used a stolen bank card to buy $2,000 worth of goods from Walgreens, police said.
The victim, a 55-year-old woman, was having brunch at about noon last Sunday near Ninth Avenue and West 16th Street and had placed her purse behind a chair, the NYPD said. When she got up to leave, she saw her wallet was missing, police said.
The thief used the woman's TD bank card at Walgreens and tried to use her stolen Discover card at Bloomingdale's, but it was denied there, police said.
► A man who a cab driver refused to pick up, in favor of a passenger with a shorter trip, broke off the taxi's right side mirror in retaliation, police said.
The driver, 62, passed the would-be rider and picked up another fare at Eighth Avenue and West 14th Street about 3:50 a.m. Sunday. The angry man then ripped off the mirror, according to the NYPD.
► An exhibitor at a spa and wellness convention at the Javits Center claimed someone took thousands of dollars in beauty products left in a booth overnight, according to police.
The exhibitor, Nano Youth, left the products at the booth on Tuesday night, but when staff returned Wednesday morning, many of the products were missing, police said.
The stolen goods were worth $3,410, police said, and included 600 samples of skin care products and 102 product catalogues.
► A man arguing with staff at the 265 Eighth Ave. Dallas BBQ about payment for food broke a glass door there. The angry eater struck the glass about 8:15 p.m. Sunday and made off in a white car, police said.
A manager from Dallas BBQ did not respond to a request for comment.
