N.C. man busted with loaded handgun at Holland Tunnel, cops say

Matthew A. Johns of North Carolina was arrested at the Holland Tunnel on Monday afternoon. (Courtesy of PAPD)

A North Carolina man was arrested Monday afternoon at the Holland Tunnel with a loaded handgun and various drugs, including marijuana and anabolic steroids, authorities said.

Matthew A. Johns of Hampstead, North Carolina was charged weapons and drug offenses following his arrest at approximately 2:30 p.m., Port Authority police spokesman Joe Pentangelo said.

Port Authority Police spotted Johns driving a 2005 white Dodge Ram pickup truck with a trailer attached to it at the Jersey City entrance to the Holland Tunnel. Because pull trailers are not permitted in the tunnel, Port Authority Police stopped the suspect and told him he would have to use an alternative route, Pentangelo said.

During the stop, police noticed the butt of a pistol in a holster next to the driver's seat. Authorities determined the pistol was a loaded Springfield .45 caliber XD-45. Port Authority police removed the Johns from the truck, seized the weapon, removed the magazine from the loaded pistol and placed the driver under arrest, Pentangelo said.

Inside the Dodge, Port Authority police recovered drug paraphernalia, syringes, needles, cigarettes containing suspected marijuana, suspected THC wax, suspected hashish, suspected anabolic steroids, Pentangelo said.

While it is legal to transport a firearm through New Jersey, the person's possession of the weapon must be lawful in the state from which the journey began, as well as lawful in the state the trip will end. The firearm must also be carried unloaded in a closed and fastened container, and not be directly accessible from the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Police did not indicate whether the weapon was legally obtained in North Carolina or elsewhere.

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