$250K Worth of Drugs Seized In Pine Brook

Two individuals were arrested in Pine Brook Wednesday after a joint undercover investigation led law enforcement officials to uncover an alleged drug shipment operation where large shipments of marijuana were being sent to a Pine Brook warehouse.

Emily W. Holt, 21, of Rumson, and Zachary Ayers, 23, of Montague, were both charged with first-degree possession of marijuana in a quantity of 25 pounds or more with intent to distribute and second-degree conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana in a quantity of 25 pounds or more.

According to a press release from Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi's office, a quantity of marijuana with a value that exceeds $250,000 was seized from the warehouse, where officials said the marijuana was being shipped from an interstate business which utilized tractor trailers to ship goods from Santa Rosa, Calif., to the Pine Brook warehouse.

"The goods were being shipped in what is commonly referred to as a relocation cube, which is normally used to ship bulk materials via tractor trailer to various locations in the country when people move or relocate," the press release said.

The undercover investigation was initiated Monday by the Morris County Prosecutor's Office Intelligence Crime Task Force, Special Enforcement Unit, , United States Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey State Police and the Morris County Sheriff's Office. On Wednesday, officials received information that the individuals would be arriving at the facility to allegedly take possession of the contents of the cube that would be arriving from California and undercover law enforcement officials and tactical personnel members waited at the warehouse for Holt and Ayers to arrive, according to the release.

"This is another great example of what we can accomplish when we share intelligence and work in partnership with both the business community, as well as multiple law enforcement agencies on a local, state and federal level," Bianchi said.

The release stated that an undercover operative posed as a company representative and, after meeting with Holt and Ayers, the undercover officer assisted Holt and Ayers with the unloading of the cube. As a result, Holt and Ayers were arrested and charged.

Holt and Ayers were sent to the Morris County Correctional Facility on $175,000 dollars cash bail with no 10 percent option.

The prosecutor's office is asking anyone with information about the case to call the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at 973-285-6200 or the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Crime Stopper Program at 973-COPCALL. It was also noted in the release that every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.