Two South Jersey men were arrested after police found a loaded handgun with hollow-point ammunition during a Festival Mall traffic stop in Hamilton Township.
Mays Landing, NJ – A routine traffic stop outside a McDonald’s in the Festival Mall ended with two men in custody Friday afternoon after police discovered a loaded handgun inside their vehicle, authorities said.
The stop occurred around 1:14 p.m. when K-9 Officer Boyd pulled over a 2007 Dodge Charger near the restaurant.
During the investigation, the officer noticed the occupants carrying a large amount of cash before his K-9 partner alerted to the scent of narcotics in the vehicle.
Police recover loaded weapon with hollow-point rounds
A subsequent search uncovered a semi-automatic handgun loaded with hollow-point ammunition, police said. The driver, Jeremiah Doucet, 21, of Mays Landing, and passenger, Jesus Davila, 19, of Atlantic City, were both arrested without incident.
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Authorities charged the pair with possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon, both second-degree offenses, along with fourth-degree possession of hollow-point bullets.
Suspects held at Atlantic County Justice Facility
Following their arrest, Doucet and Davila were transported to the Atlantic County Justice Facility, where they remain lodged pending a court appearance. Police did not specify whether the recovered handgun was linked to any other investigations.
The Township of Hamilton Police Department said the investigation is ongoing and did not release additional details regarding the seized cash or whether narcotics were involved.
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