Apr.08, 2010, 1:23 AM

Montvale – What began as a motor vehicle stop in Montvale expanded into a large-scale investigation that resulted in the seizure of over 100 pounds of marijuana with a street value of approximately $500,000, approximately $110,000 in cash, a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, and two vehicles.

On Friday, March 23, Montvale Police arrested Thomas Lynch, 27-year-old man from Tinton Falls, after a voluntary consent search of his vehicle unturned a small amount of marijuana. Subsequent to his arrest, a search warrant was obtained to determine the contents of a package located in the backseat of his vehicle, which wound up containing approximately $65,000.

Montvale Police reached out to the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Narcotics Task Force, who, after furthering the investigation, learned that the vehicle Lynch had been driving along with the package belonged to Brian Bae, 25 year-old man from Tinton Falls. After Bae responded to the Montvale Police Department, he was placed under arrest for money laundering.

Authorities soon learned that Bae and Lynch were utilizing various locations as stash houses to store and distribute large quantities of marijuana and money. After locating two of these stash houses, one in Tinton Falls and one in Wayne, authorities seized drug packaging and money laundering equipment.

Subsequently, Lynch consented to a search of his Tinton Falls home, which resulted in the seizure of 100 pounds of marijuana, along with $45,000, a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, drug packaging, money laundering equipment and two vehicles.

Two of the individuals at the residence, David Ku, a 29-year-old man from Tinton Falls, and Daniel Ku, a 26-year-old man from Matawan, were also arrested. Authorities made an additional seizure of three pounds of marijuana from Daniel Ku's vehicle, after he gave consent for a search.

David Ku was charged with one count of possession with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance in a quantity over 25 pounds, a first degree crime. He was remanded to Bergen County Jail, where bail was set at $125,000 with no 10 percent cash option.

Daniel Ku was charged with one count of possession with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance over 25 pounds, a first degree crime and one count of possession with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance in a quantity of less than five pounds, a third degree crime. He was remanded to Bergen County Jail, where bail was set at $100,000 with no 10 percent cash option.

Bae was charged with one count of possession with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance over 25 pounds, a first degree crime, and one count of money laundering. Bail was set at $75,000 with no 10 percent cash option and he was remanded to Bergen County Jail.

Lynch was charged by Montvale Police with one count of possession of marijuana and one count of money laundering. He was released on his own recognizance.