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Storm Zhu, 37, was stopped at the truck weigh station in Greenwich Township for a safety inspection while driving the trailer on Route 78 eastbound on June 14, state police said.
Trooper Joseph Seidler of the Mobile Safe Freight Training Unit carried out a search of Zhu’s trailer after finding “several boxes throughout the load that were not consistent with the legitimate cargo” during the inspection, authorities said.
The search turned up 121 pounds of marijuana and THC products worth more than $850,000, state police said.
Zhu, of Hacienda Heights, California, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession with intent to distribute. He was being held at the Warren County Correctional Center pending a detention hearing.
“I want to commend and thank Trp. Seidler for his excellent police work leading to this arrest,” said Warren County Prosecutor Jim Pfeiffer. “Warren County is unique as it is crossed bisected by two major Interstate highways Rt. 78 and Rt. 80 which provide direct access to New York City and the New York and New Jersey metropolitan area. These Interstate highways provide a direct distribution route for legitimate goods as well as for illegal drugs and other criminal activity.”
“Clearly criminal distribution activities are taking place on these highways and the Warren County Prosecutor’s office looks forward to partnering with the New Jersey State Police to strengthen enforcement and in developing new strategies and programs to secure our Interstate highways to eradicate criminal distribution activity.”
The case is being prosecutor by the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office.
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