Weed whacked

A smashed window led Middlesex police to uncover an illicit Bound Brook Road marijuana dispensary, which was operating without a state license.

An officer on patrol stopped to investigate a large hole in the storefront’s window on Election Day morning, Tuesday, Nov. 7. That led to the discovery of more than 23 pounds of marijuana and $17,000 cash on premises, spurring charges against a Piscataway man for allegedly running the dispensary.

The unlicensed dispensary, located at 555 Bound Road, was operating under the name Queen City Petro. It was located a short stroll down the sidewalk from Borough Hall Pharmacy.

Piscataway resident Christopher L. Twine, 36, the dispensary’s alleged operator, was charged with marijuana possession with intent to distribute, possession and money laundering, according to police. Twine was scheduled for an appearance in state Superior Court in New Brunswick on Tuesday, Nov. 14, police said.

Police Chief Matt Geist said it’s not known who broke the window or why. The rock used to bust it was found inside the storefront. Almost simultaneous to police noticing the damaged window, a resident called headquarters to report it.

In such incidents, the chief said, police typically check a premises to see if someone is hurt or a perpetrator is present.

The dispensary operated in the rear of the storefront and had display cases. Geist said police found some marijuana packaged in one-pound ziploc bags and several hundred pre-rolled cigarettes.

There were Queen City Petro shirts and sweatshirts on site, apparently for sale. Geist said there were also unregulated products such as vapes on premises.

No certificate of occupancy had been obtained from the municipality. It appears that the lease for the storefront had been signed in late October, meaning the dispensary was operating only for a brief time.

Police had received no calls complaining about the dispensary, said Geist. There was no exterior sign indicating a business at the location named Queen City Petro.

On Nov. 14, a week after its discovery by police, the storefront’s facade still held a sign for an HVAC business previously located there. The space above an entry door that held an air conditioner in the past was boarded over.

The dispensary investigation was done by Officer Colin DeVincenzo and Detective Scott Mulford.

The confiscated cash will go into a forfeiture account overseen by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. Geist said borough police can apply to use it to meet a department need.

Geist urged residents to continue reporting suspicious activity to police.

“If you see something, say something,” Geist said. “If there’s something unusual, we want to know about it.”

Ironically, the dispensary bust came almost one year to the day that voters rejected a referendum asking if a legal cannabis dispensary should be allowed to operate in Middlesex.

Voters rejected the dispensary question by a 1,934 to 1,878 margin on Nov. 8, 2022.

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