45°
It led officers and detectives to the discovery of 71 bags of heroin, $1,100 in alleged drug proceeds and various credit cards in other people’s names.
Confused and apparently under the influence, 27-year-old Adnan Smajlovic of Budd Lake was holding a double-sided razor blade in his bloodied hand as Police Officer Jared Shatkin approached the white Acura in the West Passaic Street parking lot just before 7:45 a.m., Lt. Dean Pinto told Daily Voice.
Smajlovic’s “speech was slurred and at times incoherent,” Pinto said.
He was also “striking the center console and moving items around the interior of the car as though he was either concealing or retrieving something,” he said.
Several pieces of the interior molding, carpeting and trim were removed from their original places and hanging loosely, the lieutenant said.
Smajlovic also had a pill bottle that held prescription drugs that weren’t his, he said.
The car belonged to his girlfriend, 25-year-old Angela M. Debarbieri of Hackettstown, he told the officer.
“She was in the area,” Pinto said he told Shatkin, “but he did not have a way to contact her.”
Backups arrived and found Debarbieri.
“She, too, was intoxicated due to opioid use,” Pinto said.
Officers and detectives eventually found the heroin bags -- stamped TOP SECRET" -- along with the cash and credit cards, several hypodermic syringes, three glass pipes and “other drug paraphernalia associated with heroin and crack cocaine use,” he said.
Smajlovic and Debarbieri were released, under New Jersey’s 2017 bail reform law, pending scheduled appearances in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack on money laundering and various drug-related charges.
“Our officers continue to be confronted on a daily basis with the issues associated with the ongoing epidemic involving opioid abuse,” Police Chief Robert Flannelly said.
Both Smajlovic and Debarbieri “declined immediate assistance for their addiction but were provided information on how to get help from the county and/or state,” the chief said.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Northern Valley and receive free news updates.
