Four Accused Of Smoking Pot At State Police Barracks

State troopers didn't have to go far to make a drug arrest Tuesday night. In fact, they didn't even have to leave the Totowa barracks.

Four men were arrested after troopers said they were caught smoking marijuana in a car parked in the barracks lot on Minisink Road.

Trooper Erik Tapia pulled into the lot to prepare for a night on patrol and smelled a "strong odor" of marijuana from a 2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue several cars away, Lt. Stephen Jones said in a release.

"The occupants were obviously not expecting to see a trooper in the parking lot of the State Police barracks," Jones said.

Paterson residents Isaias Parrilla, 22, Hensly Nunez, 21, Bernardo Cuevas, 23, and Tamer Abdelrahim, 22, of West Paterson all were charged with possession of marijuana and suspected ecstasy pills.

Jones said Tapia observed bags of marijuana in "plain sight" when he approached the Oldsmobile and made the arrests with the help of troopers at the station. Three of the men were waiting for the fourth, who was at the barracks to pick up paperwork for an impounded car, Jones said.

Cuevas and Parrilla also were turned over to police in Paterson and Totowa, respectively, on outstanding warrants. Nunez and Abdelrahim were released pending court appearances.