Pot case up in smoke – for now
Arraignment postponed due to language barrier
A Brockton man’s arraignment on charges he illegally sold recreational marijuana at a glitzy vape store in the heart of South Boston was postponed Tuesday because of a language barrier.
South Boston District Court Judge Michael C. Bolden rescheduled Saqib Imran’s hearing to Feb. 19 to give court officials time to arrange for an Urdu interpreter. Urdu is the national language of Pakistan and is also spoken in parts of India and throughout that region.
Because Imran has not been arraigned, court documents pertaining to his case were not released.
“We definitely need an interpreter to proceed with the arraignment,” attorney Chris Donahue told Bolden. “My client doesn’t understand. … Communicating through his friend is also problematic, your honor.”
Imran is free on bail, but was ordered by Bolden to surrender his passport and not leave the state. The 38year-old was also banned from King Smoke Shop, a recently opened smoke and hookah store operating from the basement of a building at 600 East Broadway.
Imran and King Smoke Shop’s owner Tanveer Shah, 61, of Bellingham, were charged Monday with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute after police said they made undercover pot purchases from the store.
Boston police armed with a search warrant reported seizing more than 60 bags of edible marijuana candies, 67 vials of THC, 26 moon rock marijuana candies, 95 marijuana cigarettes and $1,000 cash.
Shah has been summonsed to appear for his arraignment on Feb. 19 as well.
A man who accompanied Imran to court and told Bolden he was a friend who wanted to act as his interpreter was not allowed to do so. He refused to identify himself to reporters and accused them of “harassing me.” The same man was seen by the Herald at the counter of King Smoke Shop minutes after leaving the courthouse with Imran.
He declined comment.