I’ve never been a drug dealer nor a drug mule, but it would seem to me that there would some simple rules to follow when transporting illegal substances.

I would guess that one of those rules would be: Don’t break any traffic laws while your car is filled with marijuana.

A man from Lodi must not have read that primer, because police say he got busted for tailgating on Route 46 and when the officers searched his car, they found a veritable bounty of pot: 9 pounds of weed, in fact.

According to the police account described by the Daily Voice, the man, Ashley Ortiz, was not doing a very good job of laying low. Little Ferry police Capt. Ronald Klein said, “While speaking with him, the officer noticed an overwhelming odor of marijuana and saw a vacuum-sealed bag (of pot) in plain view on the passenger seat."

The two officers who conducted the search found 300 Ziplock bags of pot “packaged for sale” as well as jars with loose buds, police said. The officers also confiscated a wad of cash, $3,470, that was determined to be the result of illicit drug sales, police said. Ortiz was charged with drug possession and distribution.

While I’m all in favor of legalizing marijuana, you have to recognize that, as of yet, it is still illegal, and if you’re going to participate in the business, you might not want to draw attention to yourself by tailgating another car; unless it’s an out-of-state driver doing 35 in the left lane, then it’s understandable. Not wise, but understandable.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle. Any opinions expressed are Bill Doyle's own.

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