Trio Had 5 Pounds Of Pot At Secaucus Holiday Inn, Police Say

SECAUCUS, NJ — Secaucus police were again called to the Holiday Inn in town, this time for alleged drug distribution there. On Saturday morning Jan. 27, police say they arrested these three Washington, D.C. residents outside the Secaucus Holiday Inn after they found them with over five pounds of suspected marijuana, hashish oil and over $28,000 in cash in their car.

"Those people whose sole intention it is to come to Secaucus and use our hotels to facilitate criminal activity will be sought out and prosecuted to the full extent of the law," vowed Secaucus Police Chief Kevin Flaherty.

Police raided the same Holiday Inn in late November of last year; in that incident, a group of people were running a credit card and identity fraud ring out of a room at the motel.

Police were first called to the Holiday Inn at 300 Plaza Drive at 8:34 a.m. Saturday for a call of a suspicious vehicle parked in the fire zone outside the hotel. When officers arrived, they observed a white Mercedes-Benz with Washington, DC plates parked in the fire zone. Upon speaking with the occupants of the vehicle, officers detected the odor of raw marijuana emanating from within the Mercedes.

A search of the car resulted in the seizure of over five pounds of suspected marijuana, hashish oil, marijuana gummy bears, Promethazine with Codeine and over $28,000 in the vehicle. Additional marijuana was found on Marcia Turk, police said, and more cash was found on each person, totaling $33,000 in suspected criminal proceeds.

Robert Stafford, 39, of Washington, DC, Marcia Turk, 31 of Washington, DC and Arquimedes Robles, 30 of Landover, MD were all arrested and charged with intention to sell drugs, drug possession, money laundering and additional charges.

Related: Secaucus Holiday Inn Motel Room Used For Identity Theft Scheme, Police Say

Image of suspects released by Secaucus police.