Police Bust Illegal NJ Marijuana Business, Man and His Mother Arrested

TOMS RIVER — A township man and his 74-year-old mom were both facing charges on Monday after authorities said they had been running an illegal dispensary.

“EarthE CBD” came under investigation starting in May, by a multi-level force involving municipal, county and state law enforcement, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said.

The shop is located at 298 West Water St. in Toms River, according to a business Facebook page.

He had applied for marijuana license

Months earlier, Scott Carlino had applied for and received state approval for a conditional license.

The 52-year-old Carlino was then supposed to notify the Cannabis Regulatory Commission whether he would proceed with the process, which involved submitting a several-hundred dollar fee.

“During the conditional license phase, the conditional license holder shall not engage in purchasing, possessing, selling, cultivating, manufacturing, or selling cannabis or cannabis products,” according to the NJCRC letter sent to Carlino in November 2022.

Illegal dealing, cops say

By last month, investigators had established that Carlino and his mother, Ellen Carlino, had been using their homes and the storefront to distribute large quantities of marijuana and THC-related products.

Search warrants for 3 locations

On Sept. 28, Scott Carlino was pulled over by State Police while driving north on the Garden State Parkway.

Carrying out search warrants at three locations, law enforcement seized about 70 pounds of marijuana, 1,500 pounds of THC-related products, a 9mm handgun and roughly $390,000 in cash.

Detectives also seized about $217,000 from personal bank accounts belonging to Scott Carlino.

Charges against mom and son

Scott Carlino has been charged with possession of marijuana in a quantity greater than 25 pounds with intent to distribute, maintaining or operating a controlled dangerous substance facility, possession of a weapon during the course of controlled dangerous substance offenses, possession of drug paraphernalia and financial facilitation.

Ellen Carlino has been charged with conspiracy to commit financial facilitation.

She was served with the charge via summons, while Scott Carlino was taken to Ocean County Jail, pending a detention hearing.