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Federal immigration officials were contacted to investigate whether the quintet are legal residents, law enforcement sources told Daily Voice.
Officer Chris Horst was on patrol Monday night when he saw their grey Mazda make an illegal right turn on red at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Broadway.
Horst said he "detected a strong odor of marijuana" when he approached the vehicle.
Backups arrived and all five occupants were ordered out.
A search turned up the marijuana, along with a revolver, an automatic pistol and a gas-operated pistol, Horst said. One of the guns was loaded with hollow-point ammunition, he said.
A computer search determined that one of the handguns had been reported stolen out of Wyoming.
All five occupants were ordered held on $50,000 bail each in the Bergen County Jail pending an INS review.
Arraignments on drug and weapons charges were scheduled Wednesday in Central Municipal Court in Hackensack.
Those charged, all of Wilkes Barre, PA:
- Morlin Enrique Vindel-Medina, 20, the driver, who also received summonses for making an illegal turn, not having a driver's license or insurance card, having drugs in a motor vehicle and having faulty lights;
- Wilmer Joel Rodriguez-Cortes, 18;
- Jose Adelso Ramirez-Castillo, 18,
- Eber Augusto Prezantzin Barrios, 33;
- Josue David Cortes, 21.
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