POINT PLEASANT — Authorities seized illegal vending machines that sold hemp products at four locations in the borough last week as part of a statewide sting in which 80 machines were seized, according to a release from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office. The machines sold products such as marijuana flower and THC-infused candies and vape products.
Detectives with the Point Pleasant Police Department and Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force conducted the seizures on Friday, April 17. The seizures occurred at Welsh Farms Drive-Thru Convenience Store at 2320 Bridge Ave.; Conoco at 700 Route 88; Exxon at 3164 Lakewood Road; and Hometown Food Market at 2225 Bridge Ave., Capt. Christopher Woit of the Point Pleasant Police Department told The Ocean Star.
The prosecutor’s office identified Ben Gross, 40, of Toms River, as the owner of Barbwire — a company that owned the vending machines dispensing marijuana products throughout New Jersey. He and three others were arrested.
STATEWIDE INVESTIGATION
Over a dozen police departments, drug task forces and prosecutor’s offices throughout New Jersey were involved in the 26-month-long cooperative multi-agency investigation into the illegal distribution of marijuana in Ocean and Monmouth counties, according to the prosecutor’s release.
“Simultaneously, eight teams made up of various law enforcement agencies executed search warrants at more than 80 locations throughout the state,” the release continued. “Those locations included various businesses that were renting space for the Barbwire vending machines distributing marijuana. In total, 80 Barbwire vending machines were seized.”
The vending machines were located in businesses that were not licensed to dispense marijuana products, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer stated in the release.
“While marijuana possession is legal for adults under certain circumstances in New Jersey, it is still illegal to sell marijuana without proper licensure. The distribution of cannabis is strictly regulated, and those who choose to operate outside of that legal framework will be held accountable,” Billhimer stated.
Four arrested on drug charges
Gross, the owner of Barbwire, was arrested and charged with possession of 25 pounds or more of marijuana with intent to distribute, maintaining a controlled dangerous substance production facility, conspiracy to distribute 25 pounds or more of marijuana, possession of five pounds or more of hashish with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia and financial facilitation.
After Gross was arrested, detectives seized over 100 pounds of marijuana and several hundred pounds of THC-infused candy from Gross’s residence in Toms River, a residence in Lakewood, a residence in Jackson and a warehouse in Manchester Township, the release said.
Three individuals were arrested at these locations: Delma Canales-Garcia, 50, and Susana Garcia-Canales, 42, both of Lakewood, and Carlos Sanchez-Castillo, 22, of Toms River. All three were each charged with possession of 25 pounds or more of marijuana with intent to distribute, conspiracy to distribute 25 or more of marijuana, possession of five pounds or more of hashish with intent to distribute, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
LOCAL REACTION
Speaking about the investigation, Point Pleasant Capt. Woit told the Ocean Star, “We got a phone call from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Strike Force that they were going to come and remove these machines with those warrants. To be honest, I’m glad they’re gone. I understand (marijuana) is legal. If they go through the proper channels, I’m fine with that. But when it has access to a vending machine, you have people that potentially could get it without them having proper authorization.”
Ritesh Patel, one of the owners of the independent drive-through convenience store located at 2320 Bridge Ave. in the borough, said the machine was already there when he bought the business about six months ago, and he knew little about the company behind it. Patel explained that the convenience store is independently owned and is not part of the Welsh Farms company.
He said occasionally people would come to restock the machine, but he had little involvement in its operation.
Patel said he was working at the store on the day detectives seized the machine.
“All they told me was they have a search warrant to come and seize the vending machine,” he said. “There were two or three unmarked cars in the parking lot and by then I was like ‘OK, something’s going on, right?’ ”
Since the seizure, Patel said he has received no correspondence from Barbwire or anyone else regarding the vending machine. “I didn’t hear anything from anyone, I was just surprised that I had the detectives in here.”
Capt. Woit confirmed Patel was present during the seizure and said the nature of the warrant brought by the prosecutor’s office made no mention of Patel, or other store owners, and his statement was not taken by police.
HEMP LEGISLATION
On Jan. 13, then-Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law that regulates the production and sale of intoxicating hemp-derived products. The new law establishes a regulatory framework for intoxicating hemp-derived products and revises New Jersey law in light of updated federal hemp definitions, according to nj.gov/cannabis/resources/faqs/intoxicating-hemp/.
The revised definition of what constitutes a hemp product came into effect on April 13, just three days before the Barbwire machine was seized.
The law prohibits selling, offering to sell, or distributing any hemp-derived product under certain circumstances including online sales, sales to persons under 21 years of age and sales through vending machines. The same will become true on Nov. 13 for beverages derived from hemp that exceed 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container.
Subscribe today! If you’re not already an annual subscriber to The Ocean Star, get your subscription today! For just $42 per year, you will receive local mail delivery weekly, with pages and pages of local news and online access to our e-edition on Starnewsgroup.com.
© 2026 Star News Group. All rights reserved.
© 2026 Star News Group. All rights reserved.
Never see this message again.