Mahwah police

By Cecilia Levine From Daily Voice

A Roselle man was arrested after Mahwah police uncovered a human trafficking operation during an anti-crime detail at a township hotel this week, authorities said.

Officers from Mahwah's Investigative and Patrol Divisions were conducting a "quality of life" detail when they became aware of possible prostitution activity in the area, Capt. Michael Blondin said.

Police encountered a woman entering a local hotel and determined she was involved in prostitution.

Officers then located the vehicle that had dropped her off and found it occupied by Shahiyd Terry, 32, of Roselle, according to Blondin. Terry was asked to step out of the vehicle then refused to comply with the officers' commands, Blondin said.

Terry reached into his pockets, appeared to be reaching for something and refused to show the officers his hands, the captain said. He was told he was under arrest, and a struggle ensued. Terry was ultimately taken into custody.

Police say a search of Terry and the vehicle turned up “distribution amounts" of crack cocaine and PCP, police said.

At headquarters, investigators determined Terry was engaged in the human trafficking of the female party taken into custody at the start of the incident, according to police.

Terry was charged with first-degree human trafficking, first-degree distributing or dispensing PCP, third-degree distributing or dispensing cocaine, fourth-degree promoting prostitution, third-degree possession of cocaine, third-degree possession of phencyclidine, and resisting arrest, police said. He was taken to Bergen County Jail pending a hearing.

The Mahwah Police Department is asking anyone with additional information about Terry or possible victims to call the Detective Bureau at 201-831-2017, according to police.