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PIP Police Lt. Jesse Cohen and Officer David Moscaritolo stopped Robert Sciolo, 48, of Orange County, NY, on the northbound highway for tailgating and then failing to signal several lane changes at 10:40 p.m. Tuesday, Police Chief Michael Coppola said.
As they approached the Nissan X-Terra with Officers Donald Liu and Travis Philhower they smelled strong odor of marijuana, Coppola said.
After getting Sciolo and his passenger, 48-year-old Terrance Quinn, out of the vehicle, the officers searched it and found three bags of marijauana as well as smoking pipes and various counterfeit DVDs, the chief said.
They arrested Sciolo, who had active warrants, and Quinn.
Cohen and Moscaritolo continued an investigation, obtained search warrants and found 38 large marijuana plants at Quinn's Bronx residence, along with the illegal medication.
On Wednesday, New York State police assisted the officers in searching Sciolo's Maybook, NY, home, where Coppola said they found 40 plants.
Quinn was being held on $30,000 bail and Sciolo on $25,000 bail in the Bergen County Jail.
Both were charged with possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, among other drug counts. Quinn also was charged with transporting pirated DVDs.
Additional charges were expected in New York.
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