"A LOT OF GRASS GOTTEN THE OLD FASHIONED WAY"      Pursuant to information received, on January 26, 2005 members of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Narcotics Task Force, Old Bridge Police Department's Narcotics Unit and the South Brunswick Police Department's Detective Bureau began an investigation into the illegal drug distribution being conducted by Stephen Puccio of Jackson.      A surveillance conducted by the officers of Puccio's activities that day led to his meeting with James Wallace in North Brunswick and then subsequent travel to Wallace's Fresh Ponds Road residence in South Brunswick. It was there that officers observed Puccio entering Wallace's home carrying a folded black colored duffle bag. When he emerged from the residence thirty minutes later, the bag was expanded and appeared to be now full.      The surveillance units then conducted a motor vehicle stop of Puccio's 2000 Mercedes shortly after it he departed Wallace's residence. It was at that time that Puccio then gave officers consent to search his car. The search resulted in the seizure of seven pounds of marijuana which was located in the black duffle bag, along with $3000 and a box of storage bags. Puccio indicated that there were several more pounds of marijuana in Wallace's home.      The officers applied for and were granted a search warrant for Wallace's Fresh Ponds Road residence. The execution of the search warrant resulted in the seizure of approximately forty pounds of marijuana, an array of marijuana paraphernalia utilized in the growing,cultivation and packaging for distribution, along with several handgunds and numerous rounds of ammunition. Along with Wallace, Anthony Thanasides was present at the time officers executed the search warrant and was also placed under arrest. Puccio, Wallace and Thanasides were all charged with Possession and Possession with the Intent to Distribute over 5 lbs. of Marijuana.      On the 28th of January officers applied for and were granted a seizure order for the contents of safety deposit boxes that Wallace maintained in the Bank of America in Dayton, New Jersey. Officers seized from those boxes $60,000 in cash that were deemed to be the proceeds of Wallace's illegal marijuana distribution.      The NJNEOA congratulates the officers from the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Narcotics Task Force, Old Bridge Police Department's Narcotics Unit and the South Brunswick Police Department's Detective Bureau on the outstanding job they did of maintaining survellance on Puccio and his activities that day. This only affirms that the use of good old fashioned police can result in significant seizures and arrests. Great job!