PA man leaves suitcase stuffed with marijuana on NJ sidewalk

NORTH WILDWOOD — Marijuana is legal in New Jersey and while rules are still being formulated you still can't sell it from a suitcase on a street corner.

That's the lesson learned after police say a Pennsylvania man left a suitcase with a large amount of marijuana at the intersection of 14th and New Jersey Avenue on Wednesday night. Police left the luggage and set up surveillance to find out who would come to claim it.

Michael Shank, 57, of Bristol, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged with first-degree distribution of marijuana over 25lbs, first-degree distribution of hash over 5 pounds, third-degree distribution in a school zone and second-degree distribution within a public park. He was taken to the Cape May County Correctional Center.

While New Jersey continues to work out its rules for selling recreational marijuana it still won't be legal to do in North Wildwood as the city council voted in June to opt of sales.

New Jersey continues to take its time establishing policies for selling recreational marijuana and will miss a Feb. 22 deadline to begin sales

A number of issues remain unresolved by the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission including a backlog of permit approvals, issues about what products, such as edibles, will be sold and in what forms.

Previous reporting by Eric Scott was used in this report

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ