Multi-Million-Dollar Pot Operation In Metuchen, Prosecutor Says

METUCHEN, NJ — You wouldn't think quiet, tranquil Metuchen — a.k.a. Middlesex County's "brainy borough" — would be the site of a major illegal marijuana-growing operation. You would be wrong.

On Monday, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office arrested two men who ran a multi-million dollar marijuana growing and distribution business out of Metuchen. The men were growing the plants and packaging the marijuana at a warehouse on Liberty Street in Metuchen, the prosecutor said.

Eddie Chan, 42, of Monroe, and Albert Chan, also 42, from Queens, N.Y were arrested. They are not related. Detectives seized 161 marijuana plants, 16 pounds of marijuana ready for distribution, production equipment and packaging material from the Liberty Street warehouse.

The arrest and raid of their plant comes after a six-week investigation by the Metuchen Police Department, with assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Homelands Security with the New Jersey State Police.

They each are charged with possession of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute in a school zone, maintaining a drug facility, and possession of drug manufacturing and distribution equipment.

Photo of downtown Metuchen/By Metuchenpic - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/...