Boston police arrested a man following a drug investigation near Melnea Cass Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue, the department said in a release.

Around 2 p.m. Friday, officers were alerted after observing the suspect Joel Teixeira-Fermino, 39, allegedly “engage in several hand-to-hand drug transactions,” the department said.

The police approached Teixeira-Fermino, at which time they reported seeing a “plastic bag of a white rock-like substance protruding from his sweatshirt pocket.”

While arresting the Dorchester resident, police said, they recovered a loaded firearm from his right side. The gun was determined to be a 9mm Diamondback DB9 Generation 4, with one round in the chamber and five rounds in the magazine.

In addition to the gun, the department said they retrieved 37 grams of crack cocaine and $277.00 in total from the suspect.

Teixeira-Fermino was charged on several firearm and drug counts including trafficking and class A distribution.

Teixeira-Fermino is scheduled to be arraigned in Roxbury District Court.