CLIFTON — Two "modern day Ninjas" calling themselves Shinobi Warriors on a quest to rid the area of drug users and drug dealers have been put out of business by police.
On Wednesday at 2:35 a.m. police officers approached a car parked in the left lane of Route 46 east and found two Clifton men dressed in black claiming to be Ninjas. The men were wearing tactical vests and armed with knives in sheaths at their waists along with Ninja throwing knives, Chinese throwing stars, four-pointed tacks, swords, bows and arrows and nunchucks, said detective Capt. Robert Rowan.
The two men, Jesse Trojaniak, 19, and Tadieusz Tertkiewicz, 20, told police they were "modern day Ninjas" also called Shinobi Warriors on their way to deliver warning letters to known drug dealers and drug users to stop their "impure" activities. They told police they planned to leave the letters on the front doors of these individuals they had singled out.
Their weapons, Rowan said, were to be a precaution in case they were confronted by the drug dealers.
The officers located five envelopes decorated with red Chinese designs containing the letters to be delivered. Reports show the two men had already delivered one such letter to Tertkiewicz’ 16-year-old ex-girlfriend in Clifton. Police contacted the teen and her mother and alerted them to the situation. Tertkiewicz was charged with harassment, both were charged with weapons possession.
The letters warned drug users and drug dealers that the "Shinobi will stop your cruel and sadistic intentions with justified, yet merciful force."
In the letter, the two men accused drug dealers and users of having "committed sin of passing impurity" to others and that the "wind guides us to those of impure heart and intent."
Rowan said police are not sure how many such letters were delivered or where they found the names of users and dealers. Rowan said the two seem to be very interested in Martial arts and appear to be working alone.
"Their intentions may have been good, but we tell everyone that they shouldn’t take the law into their own hands because it will cause more problems for everyone in the long run," Rowan said.
Rowan praised the two police officers, Steven Farrell and Robert Suhey for "doing an excellent job and putting an end to this misguided quest."
Trojaniak was released on a summons and Tertkiewicz is in the Passaic County jail on $20,000 bail.
