A 32-year-old New York man and a 23-year-old New Jersey man were arrested Aug. 12 in South Whitehall Township and charged with various drug offenses in connection with the seizure of 80 pounds of high-grade marijuana.

According to the office of former Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane, Jason Ho of New York City and Nirup A. Reddy of Flemington, N.J., were arrested following an investigation conducted by the Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the Lehigh County Drug Task Force and the South Whitehall Township Police Department.

The marijuana has an estimated street value of $500,000.

According to an affidavit of probable cause obtained from District Judge Rod Beck’s office, Slatington, Aaron Laurito, a sworn narcotics agent with Kane’s office states he received information from Homeland Security Investigations regarding a suspicious freight shipment that arrived in South Whitehall.

Laurito, along with Bureau of Narcotics Investigation agents, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations agents, the Lehigh County Drug Task Force and South Whitehall police conducted surveillance on the shipment.

According to the affidavit, Ho and Reddy arrived at approximately 10 a.m. at the freight facility to allegedly take possession of the shipment.

After Ho and Reddy allegedly took possession of the shipment, a traffic stop was conducted on their vehicle and both men were taken into custody without incident, the affidavit states.

Both men were advised of their Constitutional rights and Mirandized, Laurito states in the affidavit.

Laurito said after written consent was obtained to search the vehicle, the marijuana was seized.

According to Lehigh County criminal court records, Ho and Reddy are both charged with one count each of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, criminal conspiracy and possession of marijuana.

Ho was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, according to criminal court records.

They are both being held in the Lehigh County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail each.

Ho and Reddy’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 15.