A 30-year-old Elizabeth man was arrested after being found with $12,000 worth of morphine pills on Thursday night, when a tip led detectives to a Bridgewater restaurant on Route 22, according to the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office.

Michael "Diego" Silva has been charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute, Somerset Prosecutor Geoffrey D. Soriano said.

Detectives found Silva at the establishment at about 9:30 p.m. when they entered the building after receiving information previously that he would be in the area while in possession of a large quantity of morphine pills, Soriano said.

When the detectives approached Silva, they found a bottle wrapped in paper containing 408 morphine sulfate pills in a coffee cup on the seat next to him, Soriano said. Silva was placed under arrest and $313 was also seized from him, Soriano said.

The pills have been positively identified as morphine sulfate, according to Soriano.

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