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Aug 21, 2008 8:03 pm US/Eastern
N.J. Cops Collar 'Shinobi Warrior' Drug Vigilantes
Pair Of Ninjas Armed With Throwing Knives, Chinese Stars, Swords, Arrows & Nunchucks
Personal Vendetta Against Drug Dealers, Users
CLIFTON, N.J. (CBS) ―
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This ninja star is one of several weapons two New Jersey men are accused of having in their possession when they were arrested on Aug. 20.
CBS
Superheroes? Or vigilantes?
Police in New Jersey busted a couple of ninja warriors on Thursday. The two young men are now facing serious charges.
Jesse Trojaniak of Clifton has had a fascination with ninjas.
"For a very long time now," the 19-year-old said.
He has the swords ... the kendo stick.
"The knives and stuff ... and the nunchuks," he added.
But early Wednesday morning his ninja activities got him busted by cops, along with his friend Tadeusz Tertkiewicz, 20.
Police said they found the two in a car on Rt. 46 dressed in black ninja garb and SWAT-type vests, armed with an assortment of knives, swords, nunchuks ... and a cross bow.
"They were armed to the teeth," Clifton Police Det. Capt. Robert Rowan said.
Police said they were on their way to deliver warning letters to drug dealers and drug users urging them to stop their "impure" activities.
The letters said those who persisted would be stopped with "justified yet, merciful force."
See, Jesse says he and Tadeusz are modern day ninjas ... "Shinobi warriors" to be exact.
And that they were on a mission to get dealers to stop selling after a friend of theirs recently got caught up in drug use.
"To tell drug dealers and users to maybe back off the drugs," Jesse said. "It screws up people's lives."
He said they planned on dropping off five letters to drug dealers in the area, saying "You have committed passing on your impurity upon innocent brothers and sisters."
And that the ninja outfits were just to scare them. As for the weapons …
"Those weapons ... they were just for show. They were just there to make us look as ninja as possible," Jesse said.
"I don't doubt that that that was their intention," Rowan said.
Now, both men are facing possession of weapons charges that could mean 18 months in jail -- and perhaps a lesson learned.
"I don't think I'll ever do anything like that again," Jesse said.
Police in Clifton said the two men don't have previous records and that, "They're not bad kids. They just made a mistake."
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