A number of residents living in the Holiday City West section of Berkeley Township grew tired and concerned over the amount of pedestrian and vehicle traffic to a certain part of their neighborhood, so they alerted police.
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It led to an arrest — for drugs — after months of complaints.
Berkeley Township Police Chief Kevin Santucci issued a statement announcing the arrest of 36-year old Daniel Kessel of Vail Street who was operating a business where he illegally sold marijuana.
It was within a couple towns in Ocean County as well.
On Wednesday, Berkeley Police Detectives executed three court authorized narcotics search warrants.
One of them was executed at the Vail Street home where for months cars and people came in and out with the intention of purchasing marijuana creating a scene, police said.
“This distribution operation was of such a magnitude that it caused significant pedestrian and vehicular traffic to the area which greatly affected the quality of life in this normally quiet location.”
Police also executed a search warrants in Toms River over on Wainwright Street and when all was set and done, investigators said that they seized Marijuana, distribution related paraphernalia, a Jeep Gladiator and more than $400,000 in cash.
The warrants and evidence led to the arrest of Kessel who police said had been operating under the business name of “Bud Hub”.
Kessel is being charged with 2nd degree Money Laundering, possession of Marijuana, possession of Marijuana with the intent to distribute, and distribution of Marijuana.
Berkeley Police said that there may be more charges on the horizon as they process evidence.
Following his arrest, Kessel was brought to the Ocean County Jail in accordance with bail reform.
While recreational marijuana is now legal in New Jersey, there are rules and restrictions within that legislation.
“The Berkeley Township Police Department would like our residents to know that we respect and acknowledge the fact that the Marijuana laws have changed significantly in the past year with its structured legalization. With that being said, it is still unlawful to distribute this marijuana outside the confines of the new laws.”
Berkeley Police Chief Santucci said this investigation was run with assistance from the Ocean County Prosecutors Office Narcotics Strike Force, Ocean Gate Police, Lacey Police Detective Bureau and Toms River Police.
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