Largest bust in township history
By: Brian Shappell
South Brunswick police completed the largest drug seizure in department history May 2 after a weeklong, undercover sting operation.
Police intercepted 170 pounds of marijuana, worth approximately $500,000, that was being stored at a warehouse in the township. The marijuana was en route to New York from Tucson, Ariz., police said.
Trevor Greene, 31, of New York City was charged with possession with intent to distribute more than 25 pounds and possession of more than 50 grams of a controlled dangerous substance after being arrested at 4:22 p.m. on May 2, police said.
Mr. Greene, who also was using the aliases Stuart Scott and Alonzo Sinclair, is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center on $400,000 bail. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the charges.
The investigation was led by Detective James Kinard after the department received a tip on April 25 that the contraband was going to be delivered. After obtaining a warrant to search the warehouse and establishing that the drugs were there, Detective Kinard posed as a warehouse supervisor before making contact with Mr. Greene.
"It was very gratifying to get this off the street and say, not this time," said Detective Kinard at a Monday press conference.
"We really feel that we made a big dent in the drug traffic, not only in South Brunswick, but between Philadelphia and New York," said Chief Michael D. Paquette.
Chief Paquette said it is the largest seizure in the township’s history. The last seizure of the same scope came in 1990 when patrol officers discovered between 80 and 100 pounds of marijuana in hidden storage compartments of a car during a motor vehicle stop.
Chief Paquette said he believes there is a large amount of drug trafficking going through Route 1, Route 130 and the N.J. Turnpike between Philadelphia, Trenton and New York City.
"It is a pipeline I don’t think it’s a secret," he continued.
He also said there is a strong possibility that warehouses could be holding drugs without the knowledge of the business owners. Chief Paquette said it is difficult to monitor because police cannot randomly search warehouses for hidden shipments without probable cause.
Chief Paquette said the investigation was a cat-and-mouse game to get Mr. Greene to take possession of the marijuana personally.
"We wanted Mr. Green to come down (to the warehouse) knowing he knew what was in the cases so we could build the strongest case possible," the chief said.
Mr. Greene first made contact with Detective Kinard, now posing as the warehouse supervisor, on April 26.
Over the weekend, Mr. Green made arrangements to open a public storage unit in Yonkers, N.Y., in Westchester County, police said.
The suspect sent two different trucks to pick up the marijuana, which was stored in large green trashbags with fabric softener-soaked clothes intended to quell the sent of the drugs and one additional cardboard box, but both were turned away, police said. Detective Kinard said one of the trucks, sent from Florida to pick up the shipment of two pieces of furniture and 12 boxes, was too large for the small shipment requested by Mr. Green and that the warehouse was going to use it to send a larger shipment to Indiana. Detective Kinard spoke with the suspect several times during the week.
"I made it clear to him that he couldn’t just show up he had to give me at least two hours notice," Detective Kinard said later in the press conference.
Mr. Green came to the warehouse on May 2 to clear up a paperwork dispute at 3 p.m. and took possession of the items soon after. South Brunswick police officers then arrested him.
"The fact that he was comfortable in dealing with me directly was important," said Detective Kinard.