A Port Arthur man is behind bars after allegedly selling 1,000 tablets of Ecstasy to an undercover officer in Parkdale Mall parking lot.

Officers with the Port Arthur Police Department Narcotics Unit along with Beaumont Narcotics and Street Crimes units and Beaumont Drug Enforcement Agency recently ended a year long ecstasy investigation. Officers were able to purchase 1,000 tablets of Ecstasy from Tuyen Van Tran of Port Arthur in the Parkdale Mall parking lot, police said. Tran was arraigned in Federal Court by Judge Earl Hines on a charge of possession with intent to deliver.

Police said 1,000 tablets of Ecstasy have a street value of approximately $15,000.

PAPD Lt. Jon Carona said Tran is an upper level dealer. The bust is significant for law enforcement officials but does not completely stop the flow of the illegal drug.

“When we take out someone dealing this much Ecstasy it will slow down the distribution until someone else takes their place,” he said.

Anyone with information regarding a crime can call 724-TIPS. All information provided to Crime Stoppers is anonymous.