Two Arrested on Drug Charges after Fletcher Ave. Traffic Stop

Two men were arrested Thursday after a traffic stop led police to discover just under a pound of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in a car on the Palisade Interstate Parkway, according to police.

At approximately 3:20 p.m. on March 28, PIP police stopped a 2001 Jeep Cherokee on the Fletcher Avenue ramp of the Palisade Interstate Parkway northbound after spotting an obstructed rear license plate on the vehicle, PIP Police Lieutenant Michael Coppola said in a release.

According to police, one of the officers detected a strong odor of marijuana as he approached the driver side door of the vehicle. A search of the front seat passenger found under 50 grams of marijuana and a digital scale, police said.

A search of the vehicle turned up a large bag of raw marijuana in a food take-out container on the rear floor, along with smaller amounts of marijuana in baby food jars located inside the driver’s door, police said. One more large bag of raw marijuana was discovered in the passenger’s backpack located on the front floor. Police said that the overall weight of the marijuana was just under one pound.

Cops arrested Christopher Bravo, 23, of the Bronx and Vernon Moreland, 28, of New Windsor, N.Y., and charged them with possession with intent to distribute, possession of over 50 grams and drug paraphernalia.

Bravo and Moreland were arrested and transported to the New Jersey Palisade Interstate Park Police Headquarters in Alpine for processing.

They are scheduled to appear in court April 6.