Police, Fire & Courts

Brick PD Street Crimes Unit Makes Multiple Drug Busts in One Night: Here’s How They Did It

by
Daniel Nee
October 24, 2020

Handcuffs (Shorebeat File Photo/ banspy/ Flickr)

Officers with the Brick Township Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit, formed last year, often use old-fashioned police work that pays off by way of major arrests, especially when it comes to drug distribution. Two such cases played out over the course of a single night this past week, police said.

According to police reports, Street Crimes Unit Detectives observed two people meet briefly in a parking area in the Maple Leaf Complex around 6 p.m. Thursday night. One of the individuals tossed a drawstring bag into the back seat of a white Chrysler 300, which left the area at a high rate of speed. With the help of officers Mark Catalina and Mike Zolezi Jr. the Detectives stopped the Chrysler in the area of Burnt Tavern Road and Lanes Mill Road.

The driver, Louis Vargas, 43, of Manchester, and the passenger, Eli Brown-Casalan 42, of Lakewood, were both arrested after detectives discovered cocaine, marijuana and paraphernalia. Brown-Casalan also had an active warrant for his arrest for $1,336 out of Brick Township, said Sgt. Jim Kelly.

Vargas was issued a summons for possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, and motor vehicle violations.

Brown-Casalan was issued a Summons for possession of cocaine, which was packaged for resale, possession of MDMA (Ecstasy), possession of marijuana, which was packaged for resale, and possession with intent to distribute those drugs.

Another Bust

Later that night, SCU Detectives observed suspicious activity in the area of the construction zone on Burnt Tavern Road and Van Zile Roadm when two vehicles left the area at high rates of speed in separate directions. With the help of the Patrol Division, the SCU detectives stopped both vehicles, Kelly said.

Adrian J. Woodward, 33, of Manchester, was stopped in the area the Brick Reservoir after officers witnessed multiple motor vehicle violations. An investigation on the scene led to the discovery of 34 grams of cocaine, 82 grams of marijuana and packaging materials for the resale of the drugs, said Kelly.

Woodward was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, possession with intent to distribute the marijuana and cocaine and multiple motor vehicle violations. Woodward’s charges were placed on a warrant and he was lodged in Ocean County Jail.

The other vehicle was stopped on Van Zile Road, Kelly said. The driver, identified as Madison Struyf, 20, of Brick, was arrested after officers discovered drugs. Struyf was issued a summons for possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, possession of Gabapentin without a legal prescription, possession of fraudulent government documents and multiple motor vehicle violations.

None of the suspects were listed as inmates at the Ocean County Jail by Saturday and no photos were available.