BRICK - Police have made six arrests at the back lot of an adult toy store, an area they describe as "a hotbed of suspicious activity," since March, they said.

The arrests began March 5 behind the Pleasure Zone Adult Superstore at 235 Chambers Bridge Road, police said.

At 5 p.m. that day township detectives arrested an as-yet unnamed suspect on charges of heroin and paraphernalia possession, according to a prepared statement from police Sgt. James Kelly. A half-hour after the first arrest detectives arrested 27-year-old Brian Strassburg of Brick on suspicion of marijuana and paraphernalia possession.

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The next evening detectives investigating "suspicious activity" made two more arrests — 19-year-old Christian Luna and 27-year-old Jose Luna-Serrano, Kelly said. Police charged both Jackson men with marijuana and paraphernalia possession. Luna also received a traffic summons and Luna-Serrano had an active warrant out of Howell at the time.

The next arrest at the adult store came on April 11 when detectives charged 52-year-old Edward Restaino of Linden with methamphetamine and paraphernalia possession, Kelly said. Finally, on May 15, detectives charged a Maryland man, Muhammad Umer, with possession of methamphetamine and paraphernalia. Police impounded Umer's car and issued him a summons for inactive insurance, Kelly said.

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"The rear lot of the Pleasure Zone has been a hotbed of suspicious activity, including drug use," Kelly wrote. "Police have also been in communication with the management of the Pleasure Zone about efforts on their part to dissuade people from utilizing their rear lot for such activities. Some of those efforts have included increased lighting in the area, installing surveillance cameras, and signage warning would-be criminals that the area is under surveillance."

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Alex N. Gecan has covered crime in New Jersey since 2016. His work as a reporter and editor has earned him professional awards in Connecticut, Louisiana and New Jersey for public service, business reporting and features. Contact him at agecan@gannettnj.com or 732-643-4043 or follow him on Twitter @GeeksterTweets.