SLIDELL, La. -- Twenty-one individuals, 16 of them convenience-store owners, were arrested this month in Louisiana for selling synthetic marijuana in convenience stores throughout St. Tammany Parish.
The arrests come as a result of a months-long investigation into the selling of the substances, which were banned by the state legislature in July of this year, according to Sheriff Jack Strain.
Since July, undercover agents with the St. Tammany Parish Narcotics Task Force have visited more than 100 gas stations, convenience stores and tobacco shops throughout the parish in an attempt to purchase synthetic marijuana. Eleven stores were found to still be selling the banned substances and sold packages to the agents.
The great majority of St. Tammany stores either never sold these products or stopped stocking the products after the ban went into effect, the sheriff said in a statement.
The operation began when members of the task force, acting on intelligence gathered about an overseas shipment destined for St. Tammany Parish, set up a surveillance post at the Mandeville Post Office. Two individuals were observed at the post office taking receipt of a package, which contained raw materials to be used in the manufacture of synthetic marijuana.
Realizing there was an active distribution network, the task force developed a plan to locate and seize any of the substances in retail locations throughout the parish. After making the undercover purchases, the material was brought to the Sheriff’s Office crime lab for analysis. After confirming the material as banned substances, search warrants were obtained for the businesses and homes of various individual store owners.
During the course of the investigation, local manufacturing labs were also identified in Talisheek and in St. Helena parish. Agents shut down the Talisheek operation, named JNA Manufacturing, and dismantled the lab. The investigation of the St. Helena lab was turned over to State Police and federal agents.
As a result of the operation, the task force seized approximately 8,500 packets of synthetic marijuana, approximately $115,000 in cash and eight vehicles connected to the distribution of the drugs.
The packets had names like Zero Gravity Potpourri Hypnotic, iAroma Potpourri, Heavenly Natural, Fusion, Downie Brownie and Zan-X among other names, according to a report in the St. Tammany News-Banner. However, the stuff was not sold on the shelves of the stores. Strain said customers would come in and say a code word, and the person behind the counter would open secret compartments in the counter and sell the packages that cost between $10 and $20.
“These were not innocent business transactions. The store personnel knew what they were selling,” Strain said.
District Attorney Walter Reed said synthetic marijuana is a major problem in the parish. “We want to send a real crystal-clear message to people who own convenience stores that you are going to jail for between five to 30 years. There will be no plea bargaining,” he said. “If you’re selling this stuff and you didn’t get busted this time, we’re coming for you.”
Store owners arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute synthetic marijuana, among other infractions, include:
- Arshad A. Tahir, owner of Quick Check in Slidell.
- Jennifer and Grant Cozine, owners of Rusty’s Spirits and Tobacco in Mandeville.
- Hassan Aljebouri, owner of Discount Zone in Mandeville.
- Ronald and Luisa Chow, owners of Mandeville Tobacco Plus and T’s Tobacco Plus, both in Mandeville.
- Ajit and Veena Saini, owners of Jack’s Discount Cigarettes in Slidell.
- Ahmed Atta and Jamal Salhoot, owners of Market Liquors One Stop in Slidell.
- Majed Atta, owner of Redfish Trading in Slidell.
- Mohammad Iqbal, owner of a Texaco gas station in Slidell.
- Arshad Tahir, owner of Quick Serve in Slidell.
- Mohammad Alhenawi, owner of Mona’s Express in Slidell.
- Nabeel Mashni, owner of Quick Check in Slidell.
- Abdel En Nabut, owner of a Valero gas station in Slidell.
Others arrested for their involvement include:
- Angela and Carl Boothe of Talisheek, both charged with manufacture and distribution of synthetic marijuana, possession of cocaine and Oxycodone, possession of drug paraphernalia, simple possession of marijuana and possession of a firearm in the presence of narcotics, among other charges.
- Richard Quamme and Amanda Wilkes of Amite, both charged with possession with intent to distribute synthetic marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of proceeds from illegal drug transactions.
- Miatha Nguyet Hang of Covington, who was charged with four counts of distribution of synthetic marijuana.
Suspects who are still at large include:
- Hassan Sffibli of Covington, owner of iStop Grocery.
- Al Khalaqi Saleh, Kaid Ali, owner of AA Tobacco in Abita Springs.
- Kamal Sbith of owner of Goodbee Quick Stop in Folsom.
- Adil Elbashad owner of Bashad Express in Lacombe.
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