Ocean County Prosecutors Make Interesting Marijuana Arrests

Since pot is legal in New Jersey, you can pretty much do anything you want with it, right?

Even, say, sell it in vending machines.

Um, no.

No. No. No.

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Big Marijuana Bust in Ocean County

Just because marijuana is legal to use doesn't mean all bets are off.

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago have issued a joint news release.

(If you're like me, you just read "joint" and laughed a little inside....)

The prosecutors have announced the result of a multi-agency investigation that has uncovered something rather odd: marijuana vending machines. Apparently lots of marijuana vending machines placed all around the state.

Yeah, you can't do that.

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Toms River Man Charged

Authorities say Ben Gross, 40, of Toms River, is the owner of a company called Barbwire. The company owns and distributed vending machines filled with marijuana throughout the state.

Talk about carving out a niche market....

Part of the problem is that the machines were placed in businesses that weren't licensed to sell marijuana.

Eight teams of law enforcement personnel carried out search warrants around the state at more than 80 locations.

80!

The locations were apparently renting space to Barbwire for the machines to be placed in their facilities. 80 of the vending machines were seized.

Here's the end result, according to the news release:

"Ben Gross was charged with Possession of 25 Pounds or More of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, Maintaining a Controlled Dangerous Substance Production Facility, Conspiracy to Distribute 25 Pounds or More of Marijuana, Possession of Five Pounds or More of Hashish with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Financial Facilitation. Gross was transported to the Ocean County Jail where he is presently lodged pending a detention hearing.

"Delma Canales-Garcia, Susana Garcia-Canales, and Carlos Sanchez-Castillo, were each charged with Possession of 25 Pounds or More of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, Conspiracy to Distribute 25 or More of Marijuana, Possession of Five Pounds or More of Hashish with Intent to Distribute, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. All three defendants were transported to the Ocean County Jail where they are presently lodged pending a detention hearing."

Congratulations to all the law enforcement agencies involved in this rather unique case.

The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

SOURCE: Ocean County Prosecutors Office