4 Arrested On Drug Charges By Brick Street Crimes Unit

BRICK, NJ — Four more people are facing drug charges after arrests following two investigations Thursday by the Brick Township Police Department's Street Crimes Unit, Brick police said Saturday.

Louis Vargas, 43, of Manchester, and Eli Brown-Casalan, 42, of Lakewood, were arrested after detectives saw two people meet briefly in a parking lot at the Maple Leaf Apartments about 6 p.m. Thursday, Sgt. Jim Kelly said.

Detectives saw one person throw a drawstring bag into the back seat of a white Chrysler 300 that then left the area at high speed, Kelly said. With the help of Officers Mark Catalina and Mike Zolezi Jr., the Chrysler was stopped in the area of Burnt Tavern Road and Lanes Mill Road. A search turned up cocaine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, Kelly said.

Vargas, who was driving, was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, and received a summons for motor vehicle violations, he said.

Brown-Casalan was charged with possession of cocaine, which was packaged for resale, possession of MDMA (Ecstasy), possession of marijuana, which was packaged for resale, and possession with intent to distribute those drugs, Kelly said.

Later Thursday Street Crimes detectives saw suspicious activity in the area of the construction zone on Burnt Tavern Road and Van Zile Road, then two vehicles left the area at high speed in separate directions.

One vehicle, driven by Adrian J. Woodward, 33, of Manchester, was stopped near the Brick Reservoir after patrol officers saw multiple motor vehicle violations. Investigators found 34 grams of cocaine, 82 grams of marijuana and packaging materials for the resale of the drugs, Kelly said.

Woodward was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, possession with intent to distribute the marijuana and cocaine and multiple motor vehicle violations. Woodward is being held in the Ocean County Jail, he said.

The second vehicle was stopped on Van Zile Road, and the driver, Madison Struyf, 20, of Brick, was arrested after officers found drugs. Struyf was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, possession of gabapentin, possession of fraudulent government documents and multiple motor vehicle violations, Kelly said.

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