Three months of investigating drug deals has led to the arrest of two Lakewood men.

Ocean County investigators identified three locations in Lakewood and one in Barnegat that were being used to store, package and sell heroin as part of an extensive drug trafficking scheme.

Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer and Lakewood Police Chief Gregory Meyer announced the culmination of a three-month, multi-agency cooperative investigation into the distribution of heroin in the Ocean County area.

On Tuesday, Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Regional SWAT Team, and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Asset Forfeiture Unit, along with Officers and Detectives from the Lakewood Police Department, the Toms River Police Department, the Barnegat Police Department, the Stafford Police Department, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department, and the Monmouth/Ocean County DEA HIDTA Group, executed no-knock search warrants at the locations where the drugs were allegedly coming from.

As a result, evidence associated with the operating and maintaining a Controlled Dangerous Substance Production Facility was seized, along with approximately 1500 individual dosage units of heroin, various quantities of marijuana, $1,200 in cash, and three handguns.

Tony Olden, 33, of Lakewood, was charged with one Count of Maintaining a Controlled Dangerous Substance Production/Manufacturing Facility in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-4; one Count of Possession of Over One-Half Ounce of Heroin with Intent to Distribute in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(2); one Count of Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute within 500 feet of a Public Park in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-7.1a; Possession of Heroin in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10a; two counts of Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4a(1); two counts of Possession of a Handgun While Committing a Controlled Dangerous Substance Offense in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4.1a; two counts of being a Certain Person Not to Possess a Weapon in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-7b(1); two counts of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b(1); one Count of Possession of a Defaced Firearm in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3d; and Possession of Prohibited Ammunition in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3f(1).

Olden is lodged in the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.

Shawn Craighead, 32, of Lakewood, was charged with one Count of being a Certain Person Not to Possess a Weapon in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-7b(1); one Count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b(1); and one Count of Possession of Marijuana in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10a(4).

Craighead is also lodged in the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.

Prosecutor Billhimer and Chief Meyer would like to acknowledge the cooperation of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force and Asset Forfeiture Unit, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Regional SWAT Team, the Lakewood Township Detective Bureau, Patrol Division and Special Response Team, the Toms River Police Department Emergency Services Unit and K-9 Unit, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit, the Barnegat Township Police Crime Reduction Unit, the Stafford Township Police Drug Enforcement Unit, and the Monmouth/Ocean County DEA HIDTA Group, for their collective efforts in bringing down this drug trafficking operation and arresting the individuals in question.

“I can’t say enough about the collaborative efforts of all of the law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation. We will continue to work together to root out these drug dealers and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”

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