Ulster County sheriff’s deputies seized 27 pounds of marijuana from a Freehold man following a traffic stop on Col. Chandler Drive, according to the countywide URGENT task force.
According to URGENT, the task force has since April 2015 been probing a pot trafficking operation based around Kingston and the towns of Esopus and Ulster. Last April, a raid by URGENT and the Kingston Police Department’s SIU at 130 Pearl St. in Kingston turned up a quarter-pound of marijuana.
According to the release, “information was developed by URGENT members that additional activity in the [Pearl Street] case was occurring in the Town of Ulster” on Friday, Jan. 8. Uniformed deputies, along with a K9, pulled over a vehicle, found approximately 27 pounds of pot and arrested 43-year-old Edward F. Genther of Freehold. He’s now charged with felony first-degree criminal possession of marijuana and traffic infractions. His vehicle was seized pending forfeiture proceedings and following arraignment in Hurley Town Court, Genther was sent to Ulster County Jail without bail.
Later, URGENT and Ulster police personnel executed a search warrant at 144 Harwich St., turning up 65 grams of pot and over $12,000 in cash. They arrested the resident, 33-year-old Adam D. Coddington, who was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of marijuana. He was released pending a future appearance in Ulster Town Court.
The investigation is continuing and additional charges may be filed, the URGENT release stated.