Woodbridge Business Owners Charged With Violating Shut Down Order

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — Some Woodbridge business owners are continuing to violate Gov. Phil Murphy's coronavirus shut down orders, the State Police and the New Jersey Attorney General said.

Last week, police were called to Medina Liquor Store at 709 East Jersey Street in Elizabeth, for a report that groups were gathering at the store and drinking alcohol. That liquor store is owned by Mahesh Armin, 59, and his wife, who live in Iselin.

Inside the store, police said they found "a number" of patrons drinking booze in a back room, in violation of the emergency order. Authorities shut down the business. Armin was charged with violating the emergency orders and alcoholic beverage control regulations.

And Willi Rojas, 42, of Woodbridge, was charged on March 29 with violating the emergency orders for continuing to open his Woodbridge barbershop to customers.

A Holmdel resident, Joseph Benigno, 56, was similarly charged on March 31 after police said he held an auction of 15 to 20 people at a warehouse in Edison.