Marijuana wax found in Mendham Twp. drug bust

MENDHAM TOWNSHIP - A Montville teen was arrested Tuesday in a traffic stop that produced more than 1 pound of marijuana along with folds of "marijuana wax," an increasing problem among recreational drug users, according to township police.

"We're starting to see it more and more," said Lt. Ross Johnson, who announced the arrest of Paul Saryan, 19, a resident of Montville's Pine Brook section.

Marijuana wax, like "shatter," "honeycomb" and other cannabis extracts, is concentrated form of marijuana potent enough for a single hit to keep a person high for more than a day, according to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. The distillation process uses butane to strip out the THC, the chemical in marijuana that causes a high, resulting in drug concentrations of as high as 80 percent.

Johnson said some users are under the impression that it is safer to smoke than marijuana, but "we have seen people have an onset of psychosis and even brain damage from that exposure to that high concentration of THC," Gary Hill of the Drug Enforcement Agency's San Diego office told the partnership. "Our concern is that this is going to spread before we get it under control.”

Marijuana wax, also known as butane hash oil or BHO, also can be smoked in an e-cigarette, creating additional problems for law-enforcement officers.

"The odor is not to the degree of raw marijuana, and it is a lot easier to conceal," Johnson said.

The distillation process, using flammable butane, also creates the risk of explosion or fire for those attempting to manufacture the product.

According to the police report, a patrolman observed Saryan driving a vehicle above the speed limit at 2:42 p.m. Tuesday on South Road, near Ironia Road. When the patrolman stopped him and made contact, he detected the strong odor of marijuana from inside the vehicle.

After exiting the vehicle, Saryan allegedly admitted that a large quantity of marijuana was inside the vehicle. The patrolman requested assistance from the Morris County Sheriff's K-9 unit for a search that produced eight separate bags of marijuana located throughout the vehicle, seven wax folds of marijuana wax and $978 in cash.

The estimated street value of the confiscated drugs was $5,800, according to the report.

Saryan was arrested and charged with possession of over 50 grams of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute CDS, possession of paraphernalia, operation of a motor vehicle containing narcotics and unspecified motor vehicle offenses. His vehicle was impounded and he was released with a first appearance in Morris County Superior Court scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Jan. 20.

The arrest followed another significant drug bust in the township on Saturday night, when Naeem Pierce, 20, of Morristown was arrested with approximately one half-pound of marijuana following a traffic stop at 9:06 p.m. on Mount Pleasant Road near Kings Court. Pierce, who according to the report was initially stopped for improperly tinted windows and improperly working lamps, was charged with possession of over 50 grams of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute CDS, possession of paraphernalia, possession of alcohol underage, obstruction of administration of law enforcement, operation of a motor vehicle containing narcotics and two motor-vehicle offenses.

Pierce's vehicle and $250 in cash were impounded. He was released pending an appearance Wednesday at the Superior Court in Morristown.

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-917-9242; wwesthoven@GannettNJ.com.