Crackdown hits synthetic drug sellers
40 indicted, 14 shops shut down
At least 40 people were indicted and 14 Shelby County businesses were closed Wednesday as part of what authorities call the largestever nationwide strike on synthetic drug traffickers.
Labeled “Project Synergy,” the action follows a two-year investigation by federal, state and local law enforcement officers who made hundreds of buys and seizures of synthetic drugs, including those known as “bath salts,” as well as synthetic marijuana and other substances that can mimic cocaine and other illegal substances.
Drug Enforcement Administration officials said the crackdown in 35 states across the country involved more than 150 arrests, 375 search warrants and seizures of bank accounts holding parts of illegal profits said to be in the tens of
millions of dollars.
“The sellers of synthetic drugs specifically target our young people,” Dist. Atty. Amy Weirich said at a news conference in the federal building in Downtown Memphis. “We will not sit back and ignore this threat to our children and to the entire community.”
U. S. Atty. Ed Stanton said Wednesday’s take-down of suspected drug traffickers involved more than 400 law enforcement officers in West Tennessee, primarily in the Memphis and Jackson areas.
He said those arrested are believed to be part of a multimillion-dollar international network of traffickers who distributed highly addictive illegal synthetic drugs at retail establishments in West Tennessee. Washington DEA officials said the illegal drug operations involved huge cash flows going to countries in the Middle East and elsewhere.
Stanton said officers seized some $1 million in cash, numerous weapons and bank accounts.
In addition, 14 Shelby County businesses, including smoking and tobacco shops, were closed as public nuisances and face court proceedings. Search warrants were served at nine others.
Closed were Humidor Tobacco and Beer, 1166 N. Houston Levee; Tobacco Etc., 6600 Stage; Tobacco World, 4621 Quince; Buddy’s Smoke Shop, 2235 Whitten Road; Highland Smoke Shop, 571 S. Highland; Tobacco For Less, 4520 Summer; Tobacco Hut, 5119 Summer; A&P Tobacco Shop, 3878 Austin Peay; Wizard’s, 1999 Madison; Whatever, 610 S. Highland; Tobacco Superstore, 7464 Winchester; Friendly Quick Stop, 5510 Stage; Tobacco Zone, 1319 N. Germantown Parkway; and Tobacco Box, 1740 N. Germantown Parkway.
The synthetic drugs targeted in the investigation are highly addictive and can cause seizures, hallucinations, panic attacks and strokes, authorities said.
Indicted on federal drug charges locally were Maged Ali-Ahmed Abdullah, 45; Kadhim Almaslouk, 43; Lisa Gertz, 50; Gary Geiser, 63; Nabil Mawlawi, 48; Crystal McCracken, 26; Linda Montgomery, 61; Fuad Murshed, 31; Daniel Pendergrass, 66; James Sexton, 38; Robert Snyder, 33; Max Terhune, 29; and Donald Tyler, 43, all of Memphis.
Also indicted were Fayez Bahhur, 32, Abdel Kareem Mohammad Taha, 23, and Yousef Al Sharif, 39, all of Cordova; Mohammed Al Rawahneh, 28, and Emad Bahhur, 57, of Germantown; Ali S. Abdelrahim, 51, Sung Su An, 44, and Max Suh, 40, all of Collierville; Umar Yusuf, also known as Umar Hussein, 34, of Bartlett; Lewis Cochran and Pamela Cochran, both 42, and Abdul Aziz Isani, 69, all of Olive Branch; Cameron Marcrum, 31, address unavailable, and Samer Abu-Atiyeh and Jonathan Martin, ages and addresses unavailable.