Mahwah PD Seize 13 Pounds of Marijuana, $22K at Mahwah Home

A motor vehicle stop in Mahwah led to the arrest of four individuals and the seizure of approximately 13 pounds of marijuana, $22,000 in cash and other narcotic-related distribution items, police said.

Mahwah detectives were “conducting a specialized enforcement assignment” Friday when they observed a black Chevrolet Tahoe traveling on Lydia Lane cross into the opposite lane of travel, nearly causing a collision,” Mahwah Police Chief James N. Batelli said.

The detectives pulled over the vehicle and spoke to the driver, Dominic Berlinger, 26, who provided a California driver’s license but told police he had just moved to Mahwah and was staying with his brother and other individuals. Other detectives responded to the home, where three individuals spoke to them through a glass window, while Berlinger stayed at the scene.

Detectives at the home “detected an extremely strong odor of marijuana emanating from the residence” and requested access to the residence but were refused, Chief Batelli said. Detectives then forced entry to the house to “prevent the destruction of evidence.”

While an application for a search warrant was made, the three occupants in the home, Robert Southard III, Luis Vilela and Vincent Berglingeri, were transported to police headquarters for further investigation. Dominic Berlinger was also brought to headquarters.

When police were granted a search warrant, they seized 13 pounds of packaged marijuana and $22,000 in cash. The Berlingeri brothers and Luis Vilela all have “criminal histories relate to narcotic and other serious criminal offenses,” according to Chief Batelli.

Dominic Berlingeri, 26, and Vincent Berlingeri, 28, both of Nyack, NY, Luis Vilela, 26, of California and Robert Southard III, 29, of Wilkes Barre, PA were all charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of school property, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a hypodermic needle.

Vincent Berlingeri was additionally charged with destruction of evidence.

Bail was set at $100,000 with no ten percent option and were ordered to surrender their passports.

The men were remanded to the Bergen County Jail and will make their first court appearance on Feb. 3.

Photo 1: Vincent Berlingeri

Photo 2: Dominic Berlingeri

Photo 3: Robert Southard III

Photo 4: Luis Vilela