Law enforcement officials made a major heroin bust Wednesday evening in Passaic County.

Paterson police arrested 35-year-old Gabriel Mercado after they found him to be in possession of about 9 pounds of pure heroin, officials say. Officials estimate the street value of the drugs to be about $2 million.

Police say the bust happened while Mercado was in his car. Police had been following him after receiving a tip. They allegedly found the drugs hidden inside the car's console. Police believe the heroin was headed for a mill where it would have been cut up and distributed on the streets.

Paterson police officers frequently uncover smaller amounts of heroin, but say that this was an abnormal amount.

"More times than not, it's your normal street type of dealing," says Capt. Troy Oswald. "This was quite a surprise for us when it turned out to be what it was."

Officials will have to test the heroin to find out where it originally came from. However, Paterson Police Director Jerry Speziale says that there's a good chance the drugs came from South America because heroin is cheap there and there is also an elaborate smuggling system in place.

Director Speziale says that this is a good bust for the city.

"This is something that totally disrupts an organization because somebody spent a lot of money to import this into our country," he says.

In October, Paterson law enforcement seized about $2 million worth of heroin and cocaine.