— Police say they caught a Budd Lake man with 85 bags of heroin for the second time in under two months. The first had been on Christmas Day.

Officer Anthony Gardner had been patrolling Route 46 in the Budd Lake section of Mount Olive when he saw a 1997 Subaru speeding, Officer Michael Russell said. The vehicle failed to maintain its lane multiple times, and Gardner pulled it over, Russell said.

During the stop, driver Thomas Wendland gave Gardner permission to search the vehicle — which turned up 85 bags of heroin packaged for sale, Russell said.

"We continue to see crimes related to narcotics dependencies soar, and heroin is probably chief amongst such caustic drugs," Chief Mark Spitzer said in a statement provided by Russell. "In this case, Officer Gardner effectively took 85 bags of heroin off the streets, and I think that is a good battle won, but the war continues."

Wendland had previously been arrested on Christmas Day — also for allegedly possessing 85 bags of heroin, Spitzer said.

"Now yesterday, he was again arrested and charged with having 85 bags. It's a big problem," Spitzer said.

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Wendland

following another motor vehicle stop, when police say they found heroin, cocaine, hypodermic syringes and other drug paraphernalia. Hackettstown police

.

In the latest incident, he was charged with distribution of heroin, possession of heroin, possession with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school bus, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was lodged in the Morris County Correctional Facility in lieu of $50,000 bail with a 10 percent option, police said.