LAWRENCE — Narcotics detectives arrested four people yesterday after a tip from a citizen who reported seeing a drug deal in front of a neighborhood convenience store.

Police had been conducting surveillance on Henry's Convenience Store at the corner of Inman and Brookfield streets after complaints from neighbors over the past month about a gray 2005 Toyota Camry being involved in the alleged transactions.

Police were monitoring the store Wednesday when a neighbor called the them to report seeing the suspicious Camry in what appeared to be a drug deal.

Charged were:

Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, 25, of 28 Chester St., Lawrence, with distribution of heroin, possession of heroin with intent to distribute, and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

Jason Ayala, 26, Hyde Park, with distribution of heroin, possession of heroin with intent to distribute, and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

Michael Hagger, 42, 155 House St., Methuen, with possession of heroin, possession of cocaine and operating after revocation of license.

Kerry Hagger, 36, 155 Howe St., Methuen, with possession of heroin.

Detective Mark Panagiotakos said after the Camry pulled up near the store, police saw Ayala exit the driver's side and walked to the front passenger side of a Dodge Pickup where Hagger was seated. Ayala reached his hand inside and then removed it quickly, then walked across the street into the convenience store as the pickup truck took off, according to the arrest report.

Panagiotakos said that police believed they had witnessed a "beep and meet," a drug transaction where the buyer and dealer contact each other in advance and meet at a location where the transaction is concealed through a car window or inside the car to keep police from observing.

But city police have made about 200 arrests in this type of transaction\s over the past few years — including 50 in this part of the city, the detective noted in his report.

Believing that the occupants of the pickup truck had just purchased illegal drugs, police stopped it and arrested the two passengers inside.

Police returned to the convenience store, where they observed the Camry park again. Ayala and Rodriguez walked inside the store. Police arrested them there.

Inside the Camry, police recovered what they believed to be cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin.