Package Of Morphine-Laced Poppy Pods Sent To Bergen County Home Leads To 2 Arrests

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — Two Bergen County men were arrested on drug charges after 19 kilograms of morphine-laced poppy pods were sent to their home, prosecutors said Friday.

Karanjit Singh, 24, and Jagroop Singh, 25, of Wood-Ridge were charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, said the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office.

Prosecutors said that last month, the Homeland Security Investigations Airport Group and U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted approximately 19 kilograms of dried poppy pods that were sent from the Netherlands to a private home in Wood-Ridge.

"Poppy pods contain naturally occurring opiates," noted the prosecutors' release. "[Investigators] were able to positively identify that the dried poppy pods contained morphine, which is a controlled dangerous substance."

Federal agencies began investigating, along with local police and county prosecutors.

On Jan. 30, investigators searched the Wood-Ridge home.

They located the two residents, along with dried poppy pods and drug paraphernalia used for distribution of drugs, they said.

The men were charged with second-degree possession with the intent to distribute a
controlled dangerous substance.

Both men were taken to the Bergen County Jail and made their first appearances in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack.

Jagroop Singh was kept in jail to await further court action. Karanjit was released, and also awaits further court action, prosecutors said.