Mushrooms, 4.6 Pounds Of Marijuana, $61K Seized In Brick-Point Drug Bust: Police

BRICK, NJ -- Authorities seized psychedelic mushrooms, 4.6 pounds of marijuana and $61,000 in cash after a months-long drug investigation in Brick and Point Pleasant, Brick police said Wednesday.

Three people were arrested Monday when members of the Brick Township Drug Enforcement Unit, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Special Operations Group, and Point Pleasant Boro detectives, officers and K-9 units executed search warrants at a home on Truman Drive in Brick and Rogers Road in Point Pleasant, Brick Sgt. Neal Pedersen said Wednesday.

Trupal Patel, 28, of Truman Drive, Brick; Tracy Brosnan, 29, of Rogers Road, Point Pleasant, and Michael Post, 28, of Truman Drive, Brick all were arrested Monday as a result of the search warrant execution, Pedersen said.

The investigation involved the distribution of large amounts of marijuana, Pedersen said, and investigators are continuing to look into the financial gains from the illegal drug sales, he said.

Patel was charged with possession of marijuana over 50 grams, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute more than 1 ounce; possession of psilocybin (psychedelic) mushrooms more than 1 ounce, possession of psilocybin mushrooms with intent to distribute, and possession of drug paraphernalia, Pedersen said.

Patel is being held at the Ocean County Jail, Toms River, in lieu of $150,000 bail, no 10 percent option, set by Superior Court Judge Steven Nemeth, Pedersen said. He additionally had an outstanding $5,000 warrant in connection with a prior drug arrest, according to jail records.

Patel was charged with possession of marijuana over 50 grams, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute more than 1 ounce; possession of psilocybin (psychedelic) mushrooms more than 1 ounce, possession of psilocybin mushrooms with intent to distribute, and possession of drug paraphernalia, Pedersen said.

Brosnan was charged with possession of marijuana over 50 grams, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute more than 1 ounce; possession of psilocybin (psychedelic) mushrooms more than 1 ounce, possession of psilocybin mushrooms with intent to distribute, and possession of drug paraphernalia, Pedersen said. Brosnan has since posted bail, according to jail records; Pedersen said Brosnan's bail was set at $30,000, no 10 percent option, by Nemeth.

Post was charged with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and theft in connection with a stolen street sign, Pedersen said. Post was processed and released on summonses.

The type of street sign was not immediately available.

(Trupal Patel, via Ocean County Corrections Department)