Monroe
Twp., Middlesex Co., N.J. – Attorney
General Paula Dow today announced the seizure
of more than $10 million worth of marijuana
and the arrest of two men and a woman involved
in a high tech cultivation operation. The
announcement, at the Monroe Township Municipal
Court building, marked the largest pot growing
bust in the state’s history. In total,
ten search warrants were executed over five
days by numerous agencies in three counties.
Along with a vast array of indoor cultivation
equipment, 3,370 growing plants, 115 pounds
of harvested marijuana and $65,000 cash
was seized.
“While
law enforcement in New Jersey has encountered
high-tech indoor marijuana growing operations
in the past, we have not seen anything to
match the volume of production of this criminal
enterprise,” said Attorney General
Paula T. Dow. “These defendants might
be called tenant farmers in one sense, because
of their use of rental properties, but they
certainly were not struggling to pay the
rent with their harvest. They were allegedly
tending a crop worth $10 million.”
“The
Garden State is not a designation that we
are willing to accept for the cultivation
of Marijuana. Interagency cooperation turned
this discovery of a large indoor grow into
a massive operation that dismantled a major
marijuana grower in the midst of our quiet
residential communities,” said Major
Matt Wilson Commanding Officer of the New
Jersey State Police Intelligence Section.
“This
investigation started at the local level.
A Monroe Township Patrol Officer utilizing
his training, initiative and street sense
uncovered a multimillion dollar drug operation,”
said Chief John Kraivec of the Monroe Township
Police Department.
“The
ability to partner and share intelligence
and resources in this investigation with,
county, state and federal law enforcement
agencies, speaks volumes for police in New
Jersey. I am extremely proud of Monroe Police
Officer Thomas Lucasiewicz and every Officer,
Investigator, Agent and Trooper that participated
in this investigation,” Chief Kraivec
added.
The
investigation began on February 17th when
Officer Thomas Lucasiewicz of the Monroe
Township Police Department smelled the odor
of burnt marijuana coming from the chimney
of
558 Spotswood-Englishtown Road. Officer
Lucasiewicz arrested Thu N. Nguyen, 44 when
officers knocked on the door and were faced
with overpowering evidence that Nguyen was
burning unusable parts of pot plants in
the home’s fireplace. A search warrant
was issued and MTPD asked the NJSP Marijuana
Eradication Squad for assistance. In the
basement of the home were three cultivation
areas, with another grow area set up in
the master bedroom. A total of 1,064 marijuana
plants in various stages of growth were
taken from these areas. In addition, the
garage area contained about 50 pounds of
packaged pot. Four thousand dollars in cash
was also seized. The home was also equipped
with a sophisticated surveillance system
consisting of four cameras to monitor the
exterior of the residence.
Nguyen,
a Canadian citizen, was taken to Monroe
Twp. where he was charged with maintaining
a marijuana cultivation facility, possession
of CDS with intent to distribute, and theft
of services (for stealing electricity to
power the extensive system of grow lights).
He was later lodged in Middlesex County
Jail in default of $1 million full cash
bail.
The
next day (2/18/10), additional search warrants
were issued for three locations and one
vehicle. A search of 38 Robbins Rd. Millstone
Township uncovered sophisticated grow areas
with 504 actively growing plants and approximately
50 pounds of harvested bulk marijuana. Tuan
A. Dang, 35, of Port Monmouth and Ngoc H.
Bui (female), 35 of 187 Hidden Ct. Old Bridge
were both located and arrested at this house.
Dang and Bui, naturalized U.S. citizens,
were both charged with maintaining a marijuana
cultivation facility, possession of CDS
with intent to distribute, and theft of
services (electricity). They were each lodged
in Monmouth County Jail in default of $1
million full cash bail.
That
same day, a search of 47 Westley Rd. Old
Bridge Township turned up 640 plants with
15 pounds of packaged marijuana in a vehicle
parked in the garage of that home.
Also
on February 18th, the home at 187 Hidden
Ct. in Old Bridge was searched and found
to contain $60,000 in cash, packaging materials
(vacuum bags), which was seized along with
documents including growth notebooks and
fertilization notes. This home is the residence
of Ngoc Bui.
On
February 19th, the investigation continued
with a search of 535 Beach Ave. in Manahawkin
(Stafford Twp.). Marijuana plants numbering
464 were seized, along with numerous lights
and timers. Additionally, equipment used
to divert electricity prior to the utility’s
meter was discovered.
Atlantic
City Electric (southern New Jersey utility)
responded to that location to render the
altered electric service safe and to help
investigate the theft of electricity. JCP&L
was also brought in to help look into theft
of electricity from other searched locations.
Also
on February 19th, the home at 15 Stayman
Ct. Manalapan was searched and found to
contain another large marijuana cultivation
operation with 698 plants and a quantity
of grow equipment.
Other
locations were searched and financial records
were confiscated. Detectives believe that
plants in this investigation were propagated
by cloning them from other plants, using
clippings rather than grown from seed.
Partnering
agencies/units include:
- Monroe
Township Police Department (Middlesex
Co)
- New
Jersey State Police
- Marijuana
Eradication Squad
- Hit
Team North
- Street
Gang Central Unit
- Drug
Trafficking North, South and Central
Units
- Troop
“C” Criminal Investigations
Office
- Crime
Scene Investigation Unit
- NJ
Division of Criminal Justice in the Office
of the Attorney General
- Middlesex
County Prosecutor’s Office
- Monmouth
County Prosecutor’s Office
- Barnegat
Police Department
- Manalapan
Police Department
- Sayreville
Police Department
- Stafford
Township Police Department
- Old
Bridge Township Police Department
- U.S.
Marshalls Service
- Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA)
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