6 People And 200 Pounds Of Weed Snared In North Jersey Drug Probe

NORTH JERSEY, NJ — Six people have been charged in a marijuana distribution operation that spanned five counties, prosecutors said.

Samer J. Helou, 39, of Fairfield, Leila Helou, 64, of West Caldwell, James A. Marra, 31, of Belleville, Frank A. Preziosi, 49, of West Orange, Miguel A. Rosa, 39, of West New York, and Abbas Sayed, 56, of West Caldwell were charged last week with various narcotics offenses, said the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office.

The arrests came after Bergen County Prosecutor's Office narcotics detectives began investigating an illegal marijuana distribution investigation two years ago, prosecutors said on Monday.

"As the lengthy investigation progressed, it became apparent that the scale of the criminal network reached beyond Bergen County," they said.

The Drug Enforcement Administration became involved in the probe.

Prosecutors in Bergen, Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties executed search warrants last Wednesday at the suspects' residences and other properties.

That day, detectives seized more than $500,000 of cash, more than 200 lbs. of marijuana, various items of drug paraphernalia, and hundreds of cannabis products packaged for distribution, prosecutors said.

Frank Preziosi was charged with first-degree possession with the intent to distribute marijuana in an amount greater than 25 lbs., prosecutors said.

Samer Helou, Leila Helou, James Marra, Miguel Rosa, and Abbas Sayed were charged with conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana in an amount greater than 25 lbs.

They were all taken to the Bergen County Jail, made a first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack, and were ordered released to await further court action, prosecutors said.