45°
Officer Nicholas Snook began following the vehicle on southbound Route 23, then stopped it after the driver headed into the Lakeland Plaza parking lot through the exit, police said.
The officer “smelled a strong odor of raw marijuana mixed with the strong smell of cologne,” they said in a release.
Once backup officers arrived, Snook turned his attention to the passenger, 28-year-old Robert Acevedo of Endicott, N.Y.
Acevedo got out of the vehicle, admitted he had marijuana in the car and showed the officer where to find the vacuum-sealed bag.
Acevedo was charged with illegal pot possession and released pending a court hearing. The driver was issued motor vehicle summonses for failure to inspect his vehicle and driving opposite the one-way exit.
Click here to follow Daily Voice North Passaic and receive free news updates.
