GREENWICH TOWNSHIP, NJ – In a significant drug enforcement operation, the New Jersey State Police Mobile Safe Freight Unit intercepted a large quantity of illegal drugs during a routine commercial vehicle inspection. The incident took place at the Greenwich Township Weigh Station in Warren County on March 12, 2024.
Upon inspecting a tractor-trailer that was ostensibly carrying a shipment of oranges, officers discovered twelve additional pallets of unmarked cardboard boxes, distinct from the orange shipments. Following consent for a thorough search granted by the driver and co-driver, Ruben V. Rodriguez, 53, and Jose Santa Cruz Cheno, 59, both of Hermasillo, Mexico, authorities unveiled approximately 3.2 tons or 6,224 pounds of hydroponic marijuana. Alongside, forty pounds of Delta 9A powder, a cannabis concentrate, and 5,017 individual packages of cannabis products were found, totaling 3.4 tons or 6,485 pounds of illegal substances.
The contraband, with an estimated street value of approximately $28.37 million, represents a major bust for New Jersey State Police. Rodriguez and Cheno, who were found to be legally in the country, have been charged and are currently held at the Warren County Jail awaiting further legal proceedings. This operation underscores the ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking within the state.