Police: $1.1 Million in Synthetic Marijuana Materials Seized

Detectives from a multi-agency narcotics task force raided a Haymarket home recently, stopping a drug manufacturing and distribution operation and seizing $1.1 million in materials, according to Prince William County Police.

The raid was announced Monday by Prince William County Police, Manassas Police and Manassas Park Police.

John P. Flaherty, 57, of 15002 Danube Way in Haymarket, was arrested Aug. 18 in Las Vegas by local authorities. He is currently awaiting extradition.

Investigators say they raided Flaherty’s home on Aug. 18, finding a handgun, marijuana, “marijuana-wax”, packaging materials and an estimated 4 lbs of materials used to manufacture synthetic marijuana were recovered and seized.

Information gathered at the home led detectives to a storage unit at the Mini-Storage facility located at 6558 Commerce Ct in New Baltimore. Detectives discovered an additional 33 lbs of precursor materials used in the manufacturing of synthetic marijuana.

They accuse Flaherty of producing the drug at his home and at the storage unit and shipping it nationally through the postal service.

Flaherty faces charges of manufacturing a scheduled I or II narcotic, distribution of a scheduled I or II narcotic, conspiracy to manufacture a scheduled I or II narcotic and conspiracy to distribute a scheduled I or II narcotic.