Three accused in drug-related offenses after traffic stop following motel incident in Hunterdon County
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Hunterdon County) — Clinton Township Police Chief Thomas A. DeRosa announced that on May 7, officers arrested three individuals who are accused of drug-related offenses following an attempted burglary report at a local motel.
A motel resident reported that a man was banging loudly on her door and attempting to enter her room. When officers arrived, they encountered Ahmed J. Awadallah, 39, of Clinton Township, who was operating a cargo truck and attempting to leave the scene with two female passengers.
Police stopped the vehicle and observed the front-seat passenger, Ashley E. Robinson, 35, of Kenilworth, was not wearing her seatbelt. A second passenger, Safiatou Dieng, 26, of Newark, was seated on the floorboard of the vehicle and both passengers appeared visibly impaired, according to police.
Officers said they observed CDS paraphernalia in plain view inside the van. A sergeant and his K-9 partner, Tapko, conducted a “free air sniff” and the dog allegedly alerted to the odor of narcotics.
A subsequent search revealed evidence of suspected narcotics activity. As officers attempted to arrest Awadallah, he allegedly discarded a crack pipe, resisted arrest and attempted to flee. Officers gained control of him and placed him under arrest, police said.
Both Robinson and Dieng were also arrested. Police said a search of the vehicle uncovered two imitation handguns, imitation magazines, an electronic scale with suspected CDS residue, three vials of suspected crack cocaine, two baggies of suspected synthetic cannabis, eight amphetamine/dextroamphetamine pills, two empty vials with cocaine residue, one empty heroin wax fold, a crack pipe, and prescription medication not prescribed to anyone in the vehicle.
All three were transported to Clinton Township Police Department headquarters for processing, where Awadallah allegedly became disorderly and combative. Authorities also found that he had an active warrant from the New Jersey State Parole Board for a parole violation.
Awadallah is accused of possession of CDS, obstruction of justice, unlawful possession of prescription legend drugs, possession of an imitation firearm, possession of synthetic cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest, contempt of court, failure to wear a seatbelt and operation of a motor vehicle while in possession of CDS. He was transported to the Hunterdon County Jail.
Robinson is accused of possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to wear a seatbelt. Dieng is accused of possession of drug paraphernalia and riding on parts of a vehicle not intended for passengers. Both were released pending a court date.
