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HAZLETON — City police arrested a man from New Jersey and seized nearly five pounds of marijuana and $13,000 during a traffic stop Monday.

Matthew P. Martin, 52, of Edgewater, was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $250,000 bail imposed Tuesday when he was charged with a felony charge of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and three traffic violations. District Judge Alexandra Kokura Kravitz arraigned Martin.

According to the criminal complaint:

Police were conducting surveillance in a known drug area near North Laurel and West Ninth streets when they spotted a parked Toyota Rav 4 with a New Jersey license plate. Martin was seated in the driver’s seat of the Toyota.

After police kept the Toyota under surveillance for about 30 minutes, another man arrived at the intersection in a taxi and placed a shopping bag in the Toyota’s trunk before getting into the passenger seat.

Martin drove away, failing to obey stop signs before returning to North Laurel and West Ninth streets, where the passenger got out and entered a residence.

Police stopped Martin, who admitted he had marijuana in the driver’s side door, the complaint says.

A search warrant was served on Martin’s Toyota when police allegedly found approximately five pounds of marijuana, about $13,000, three cellular phones and two Fraternal Order of Police badges.

Police said the cash was wrapped in small rubber bands and separated in denominations of $1,000.

Five pounds of marijuana, $13K seized during traffic stop