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It was just before 9:15 p.m. when Officers Christopher Rios and Jared Shatkin pulled over a black 1999 Nissan Maxima with New York plates after the driver made an unsafe, unsignaled lane change on northbound Route 17.
As both approached the car, “they could detect a strong odor of raw marijuana,” Detective James DePreta said.
The driver, Victor V. Garcia, 23, of Westwood agreed to a search of the car.
Both he and his passenger, 22-year-old Xavier Ampro, were busted after the officers reported finding two large plastic bags filled with an ounce each of marijuana.
Garcia and Ampro were each charged with possession and distributing marijuana, failing to turn the drugs over to police and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Garcia also received traffic summonses for:
- making an unsafe lane change;
- failing to to signal;
- failing to display an inspection sticker;
- using a fraudulent sticker;
- possession of drugs in a motor vehicle;
- possession of an open alcholic beverage in a motor vehicle.
Both were released pending Municipal Court appearances.
MUGSHOTS: Courtesy ROCHELLE PARK PD
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