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Detectives assisted by the DEA seized seizure of hundreds of pounds of marijuana, THC edibles and THC wax/oil, along with $305,000 in illicit proceeds, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
They arrested co-owners Michael Ligus, 24, and Damian Harry Wesler Sr., 44, along with Damian H. Wesler Jr., 22, all of Ringwood, and were arrested, along with Anthony Garcia, 45, of Secaucus and Ezekiel Paulino, a 25-year-old clerk from Rutherford, Musella said.
Authorities raided a Fairfield warehouse while also searching the shops and several vehicles, he said.
The investigation began last August, when members of Musella’s Narcotic Task Force discovered purchases of pot and THC products being made by the public from the Dirty Jerzy store on westbound Route 4 in Englewood, the prosecutor said.
Several undercover buys were made there and at the other three locations, he said.
Ligus and the elder Welser “were transporting bulk shipments of marijuana from Boston, MA to Bergen County” when detectives armed with a warrant seized more than 50 pounds from their Cadillac Escalade on Friday, Feb. 4, Musella said.
All of the stores were raided that same day by teams that included members of the:
- Drug Enforcement Administration;
- Morris County Prosecutor’s Office;
- Union County Prosecutor’s Office;
- Essex County Prosecutor’s office;
- Ringwood Police Department;
- Scotch Plains Police Department.
Also hit was a warehouse on Commerce Road in Fairfield and various vehicles.
All but Paulino were charged with major drug offenses and sent to the Bergen County Jail pending first appearances in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.
Paulino was released after being charged with first-degree possession of hashish oil edibles over five pounds with the intent to distribute them.
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