Two Men Arrested on Felony Drug Charges in Van Neste Park

According to the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, two Passaic County men are alleged to have been exchanging large quantities of ecstasy in Van Neste Square Park.

Hwang Woojin, 20, of Paterson, and Marcelo Castillo, 22, of Passaic, are facing multiple felony charges after being nabbed by the county's narcotic task force, along with officers from the Ridgewood Police Department after a surveillance sting revealed the two had been receiving large quantities of ecstasy pills in a registered mailbox at the Ridgewood Post Office.

"This is an example of the Ridgewood Police Department working with other agencies to get drugs off the streets," Ridgewood Police Chief John Ward said, also noting that Detective Douglas Henkie worked point for the RPD and helped coordinate efforts.

The joint effort between the police department, members of the U.S Postal Service, the U.S. Immigrations Enforcement Agency, the Bergen County Narcotics Task Force, led to the dual arrests, which authorities say removed $30,000 worth of drugs from the street.

Prosecutors allege Woojin had Castillo receive the narcotics in Castillo's registered mail drop box and Castillo would then give them to Woojin for re-distribution. 

Unfortunately for the Passaic County men, authorities were tipped off on Sept. 17, and nabbed the two at Van Neste Square Park on Sept. 20 at roughly 11:30 a.m., where the two men had planned to exchange the ecstasy pills.

Castillo was nabbed with the pills and Woojin was also found to be in possession of three ounces of marijuana, one ounce of crystal meth and 23 pills of ecstasy.

Woojin was charged with one count of possession with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance (ecstasy), a felony; one count of possession to distribute a controlled dangerous substance over one once but less than five ounces (marijuana), a third-degree charge; and one count of intending to distribute a controlled dangerous substance (ecstasy) within 500 foot of a park, a second degree crime.

Castillo is charged with one count of possession to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, a first degree felony, and like Woojin, intending to distribute the ecstasy pills within 500 feet of a public park.

Bail was set at $100,000 for Woojin, but the Paterson man was remanded after being unable to post bail. Simiarly, bail for Castillo was set at $50,000 and he was unable to make bail. Both men are at the Bergen County jail and will be arraigned on Tuesday, Sept. 21.