Police: N.J. trio busted with weed, painkillers, 200 bags of heroin in Jersey City

A New Jersey trio was busted with weed, painkillers and 200 bags of heroin outside the Holland Tunnel in Jersey City last night, police said. 

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

Iggal Copeland, 40, of Linden, was charged with receiving stolen property (blank prescription pad), hindering apprehension, bail jumping, driving with a suspended license, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle and traffic violations, according to Port Authority police spokesman Joe Pentangelo.

Additionally, his two passengers were arrested on drug charges as well.

Marquese Kine, 22, of Newark, is accused of possession of heroin, possession of marijuana under 50 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a schedule 1 narcotic (heroin) with intent to distribute, authorities said.

Meanwhile, Epiphany Alston, 21, of Washington, was charged with possession of schedule 1 narcotic (Oxycodone) and possession of schedule 1 narcotic with intent to distribute, officials said.

At about 6 p.m. yesterday, Port Authority police at the Holland Tunnel toll plaza in Jersey City saw a black Honda Civic, occupied by a driver and two passengers, in the toll plaza driving without their headlights on, police said.

Officer pulled the car over and while interviewing the driver, he detected an odor of marijuana emanating from the car. Furthermore, the driver could not provide a driver’s license and gave a fake name and birthday, officials said.

He then provided police with his real name, but again with a fake birthday. As a result, the driver was placed under arrest. Once his true identity was established, a computer check showed his license was suspended and there was an outstanding warrant out of Newark, authorities said.

A blank State of New Jersey prescription pad with no signature or writing on it was found in Copeland’s wallet. Then, inside the car was a marijuana grinder and a black bag containing 200 individual glassine folds of heroin, some stamped with the brand name “butt naked,” and other stamped with the name “infamous,” police said.

Alston, a female passenger who was in the back seat, was in possession of a prescription pill bottle with 44 illegally possessed Oxycodone pills inside. The name on the pill bottle was different than the names of all the occupants in the car, officials said.

The vehicle was impounded and all three suspects were arrested. A subsequent investigation by police determined the heroin was possessed by the front seat passenger, Kine, who was also in possession of small amount of marijuana, authorities said.