Police Searched Through Trash to Make Pot Bust

Bethlehem Township police looked through the trash of a suspected pot dealer twice before obtaining a search warrant to look through his home on Friday, court records say.

As a result of that search warrant, Marcus Jamal McGriff, 24, of 3549 Skyline Drive, was taken into custody on drug charges, including felony possession with intent to deliver marijuana.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, township police had been receiving complaints about suspected drug activity at the Skyline Drive address since 2010.

One of the people that had complained informed police on Thursday that there continued to be a steady stream of vehicles coming and going, staying for a short period of time and then leaving, the affidavit says.

According to the affidavit:

• Police conducted one “trash pull” on Feb. 7, finding inside of a trash bag several items indicating drug activity, including a plastic food saver bag with suspected marijuana inside which tested positive for THC, the principal psychoactive compound in marijuana.
• Police conducted a second “trash pull” on Thursday, finding inside a vacuum seal type bag, which contained a small amount of marijuana and other items indicating drug activity.
• Police executed a search warrant for the house on Friday, finding more than 30 grams of loose marijuana in a toilet and several plastic baggies containing marijuana, among other items indicating drug activity. Police also found a 9 mm handgun hidden behind a small door built into the bathroom wall.
• When apprehended, McGriff had a baggie of marijuana in his pocket and more than $1,000 in cash.

McGriff was arraigned before District Judge James Barner of Lower Nazareth Township and committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $5,000 bail.