TOMS RIVER — Authorities have seized 80 marijuana vending machines throughout New Jersey.
Ben Gross, 40, of Toms River, was arrested on Wednesday, according to prosecutors from Monmouth and Ocean Counties. It's the culmination of a sweeping joint investigation that took over two years.
Prosecutors say that Gross is the owner of Barbwire, a business that has dozens of vending machines in stores throughout the state. These vending machines don't dispense your average snacks or sodas. Instead, they sell cannabis products, including pre-rolls, fruit gummy edibles, THC vapes, and even flower.
Authorities said in court that it was a successful operation; Gross earned between $17,000 and $20,000 a day, the Toms River Patch reported. While recreational marijuana has been legal in New Jersey for several years, it is not unregulated. Businesses can't rent out space for these machines without proper marijuana licenses.
“Clear-cut criminal penalties remain on the books for precisely this set of circumstances — because consumers in New Jersey deserve to know precisely what they are buying and from whom," said Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago.
Prosecutors said that eight law enforcement teams from a litany of agencies turned over dozens of homes and businesses during simultaneous searches last week. Officers seized 80 Barbwire vending machines.
On Friday, detectives arrested Gross near his Toms River home. Investigators conducting surveillance waited until he drove away and then stopped his car to put him in handcuffs.
Authorities then searched his home, a warehouse in Manchester, and two residences in Lakewood and Jackson. Investigators said they found more than 100 pounds of marijuana flower, several hundred pounds of THC candy, THC vaping products, and five pounds of hashish.
They arrested three people: Canales-Garcia, 50, of Lakewood; Susana Garcia-Canales, 42, of Lakewood; and Carlos Sanchez-Castillo, 22, of Toms River. All three of them and Gross are being held in Ocean County Jail.
"The distribution of cannabis is strictly regulated, and those who choose to operate outside of that legal framework will be held accountable,” said Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer.
Gross is charged with intent to distribute 25 pounds or more of marijuana, intent to distribute five pounds or more of hashish, conspiracy to distribute, financial facilitation, maintaining a drug production facility, and drug paraphernalia possession.
The other three suspects are each charged with intent to distribute 25 pounds or more of marijuana, intent to distribute five pounds or more of hashish, conspiracy to distribute, and drug paraphernalia possession.
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