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Carlos Castillo of Mantua Township was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm with no serial number, unlawful possession of a weapon, and unlawful possession of firearm parts to manufacture a firearm without a serial number, State Police said.
In January, detectives from the State Police Gangs and Organized Crime South Unit began investigating the distribution of ghost guns in Gloucester County and determined that Castillo was manufacturing ghost guns out of a residence in Mantua Township. Through various investigative means, detectives determined that Castillo was obtaining ghost gun kits in Massachusetts and transporting them to his residence where he would assemble them into working firearms.
On March 5, detectives from the New Jersey State Police Gangs & Organized Crime South Unit, along with members of the State Police Crime Suppression South Unit, Motor Vehicle Crimes South Unit, Atlantic City Metro Task Force, Mantua Township Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made a warranted search at a residence and on a Subaru sedan that Castillo was known to operate.
As a result of the search, detectives seized a fully assembled ghost gun, 16 partially assembled ghost guns, firearm manufacturing tools, and various gun parts to complete all 16 partially assembled firearms. Castillo was arrested without incident, police said.
Carlos Castillo was being held in the Salem County Jail pending a detention hearing.
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