Law enforcement authorities have broken up a West Windsor narcotics operation that they say was focused on selling illegal drugs to students of the WW-P School District.##M:[more]##
On July 15, police raided a Fisher Place home that they allege was a central location for the sale of marijuana and cocaine in both townships.
Arrested were Derek Jackson, 18, and Brett Bowers, 18, both of Fisher Place, a 17-year-old West Windsor male, and two 17-year-old Plainsboro males. All five are current or former students of the WW-P School District, according to police.
The bust was the result of a two-month cooperative investigation involving police officers from both townships, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force, and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Unit
“It’s our belief that most of the sales were to residents of West Windsor and Plainsboro,” says Lieutenant David Mansue of the West Windsor Police. “It was pretty much age specific. They were targeting other students of our regional school system.”
Mansue adds that the amount of drug activity taking place was enough to attract the attention of police. “The sales were at a level that was significant enough for us to look into it, for sure.”
According to Mansue, the fact that the ring was operating in the township was not indicative of a drug problem specific to Plainsboro or West Windsor. “Drugs are a problem everywhere, there’s no socio-economic group affected more than another. Whenever you have a place where there are lot of individuals with a lot of money at the their disposal, and time on their hands, sometimes they tend to fall into these bad habits.”
Police executed a search warrant at the Fischer Place home, arresting both Jackson and Bowers at the scene. A search of the residence revealed under 50 grams of marijuana, paraphernalia used to ingest marijuana, paraphernalia used to ingest nitrous oxide, and packaging materials used in the distribution of Vicadin and Valium, both classified as Schedule III narcotics.
Also seized were two computers, a 1998 Pontiac Firebird, and $2,”400 in cash, suspected to be proceeds from drug transactions.
Bowers and Jackson were charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bowers was also charged with possession of marijuana under 50 grams, possession of Schedule III narcotics, and possession of nitrous oxide. Bowers was sent to the Mercer County Jail in default of $40,”000 bail, and Jackson on $20,”000.
The juvenile 17-year-olds were also picked up by police on the same day. The West Windsor male was charged with one count of cocaine distribution and sent to the Mercer County Juvenile Detention Center.
One of the Plainsboro suspects was lodged at the Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center after he was charged with two counts of marijuana distribution, possession of under 50 grams of marijuana, possession of a straight-edge razor, and possession of drug paraphernalia (two digital scales),
The other Plainsboro juvenile was charged with one count of marijuana distribution and released into the custody of a parent.
