A small pickup truck loaded with a large plastic drum caught the eye of a Port Authority police officer as it entered the Holland Tunnel and the officer's diligence led to the arrest of the driver on a weapons charge, authorities said Sunday.
Officer Evangelos Mageros decided to stop the vehicle on Friday to ensure that it wasn't transporting hazardous material.
During the stop, the driver, Marlon Murphy, 45, of Easton, Pennsylvania, said the drum contained a shotgun and ammunition.
Mageros found a 12-gauge shotgun wrapped in a pair of pants inside the drum, Port Authority Police spokesman Joe Pentangelo said. He also found 175 rounds of ammunition.
Murphy, who could produce no documentation for the shotgun, was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. He was being held in lieu of $30,000 bail and his truck was impounded.
