South Brunswick Police: Woman Had More Than $6,000 Worth Of Marijuana In Backpack

South Brunswick police arrested a New Brunswick woman and seized more than $6,000 worth of marijuana from a backpack she’d been carrying, authorities said.

Chief Raymond Hayducka credited a partnership between the community and the police for the arrest.

“It is tips from the community and good police work that stopped this drug dealing,’’ he said in a prepared statement released Tuesday. “The unusual activity observed by residents in connection with undercover surveillance led to the capture of the drug dealer.”

According to a news release from Lt. James Ryan:

On Wednesday, police were conducting surveillance in the Whispering Woods development after getting reports of suspicious activity there over the last two weeks.

Several residents told police that people were being dropped off in the area. Those people stayed a few minutes, then left, and none of the residents recognized the people from the neighborhood.

Around 7 p.m., detectives saw a Nissan pull onto Appletree Court.

A woman -- later identified as Amarilis Velazquez, 30, of New Brunswick -- got out of the car, while the driver stayed inside. Velazquez carried a black North Face backpack over her shoulder and she began walking toward the townhouses.

A detective called out to her, then identified himself. She immediately dropped the backpack.

When police asked why she dropped it, she replied that her mother was sick and she could not go to jail.

Detectives could smell the odor of raw marijuana coming from the backpack.

Police seized it and obtained a search warrant. Inside, police found three vacuumed-sealed bags containing a total of 3 pounds, 2 ounces of marijuana, which has a street value of more than $6,000.

Velazquez was charged with possession of controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute and possession of a controlled dangerous substance. She was released after posting bail set at $22,000.

Photo courtesy South Brunswick police