ST. LOUIS, MO. – Thirty-five people from six states have been indicted on charges of conspiring to traffic contraband cigarettes, conspiracy to distribute synthetic drugs, and money laundering in Missouri.
According to the indictment, the defendants purchased cigarettes in St. Louis and resold them in Illinois and New Jersey, which are high tax markets, for more than two years. Missouri has the nation's lowest cigarette tax.
Convenience stores owned or operated by the defendants were allegedly used to create the appearance of legitimate cigarette sales. Illegal profits from the sales were then laundered through the stores, according to the indictment.
Synthetic drugs, commonly known as K2, were also sold in a handful of the stores.
The indictment alleges the defendants not only purchased the synthetic drugs from national distributors, but also manufactured the drugs by importing precursor chemicals from China.
"These indictments and arrests reflect the commitment of the DEA and our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to dismantle these types of unprincipled business operations that are profiting from human frailty,” James P. Shroba, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA St. Louis Division said. “Synthetic drugs that are sold as purportedly legal substitutes for cannabis and stimulants, such as cocaine and methamphetamine, are neither legal nor safe. These substances were never intended for human consumption and only serve to satisfy the avarice of the seller.”
If convicted, defendants could face a maximum sentence of 5 to 20 years in prison and / or fine up to $1,000,000.
The defendants are listed below:
Mohammed Almuttan, aka Abu Ali, 35, St. Louis, MO
Rami Almuttan, aka Abu Louay, 33, St. Louis, MO
Hisham Mutan, aka Abu Mohamed, 41, St. Louis, MO
Saddam Mutan, aka Abu Ali, 24, St. Louis, MO
Mazin Abdelsalam, aka Abu Mohammad, 38, St. Louis, MO
Najeh Muhana, aka Abu Yazan, 41, Fairview, NJ
Fares Muhana, aka Abu Yamama, 40, Cliffside Park, NJ
Ayoub Qaiymah, aka Abu Faysal, 23, Richmond, VA
Naser Abid, 23, Chicago, IL
Yadgar Barzanji, aka Abu Siver, 47, St. Louis, MO
Wafaa Alwan, 50, St. Louis, MO
Ahmed Abuali, aka Bazilla, 31, North Bergen, NJ
Mohammed Kayed, aka Mohammed Fayez, 21, Clifton, NJ
Momen Abuali, 20, Little Ferry, NJ
Firat Sevindik, 42, Cliffside Park, NJ
Mohammed Mustafa, 30, North Bergen, NJ
Mohammad Karashqah, Abu Yazid, 47, North Bergen, NJ
Fayez Sheikha, 46, Mishawaka, IN
Jihad Shihadeh, Abu Malik, 58, Chicago Ridge, IL
Ismael Abadi, 57, Carol Stream, IL
Abed Hamed, Abed Fawzan, 39, Greenville, NC
Maher Hamed, Abu Alazara, 33, Swansea, IL
Abdel Adi, 25, Oak Lawn, IL
Muhanad Khatib, Abu Alamin, 36, Chicago, IL
Eyad Awad, 38, Chicago, IL
Dale Garbin, 60, Kankakee, IL
Hayder Al Fatli, 40, St. Louis, MO
Kutlay Guvener, 35, Chicago, IL
Saad Al Mallak, 30, Dittmer, MO
Hassan Abdelatif, 29, Collinsville, IL
Mahajir Naz, 32, St. Louis, MO
Talal Abuajaj, 23, St. Louis, MO
Basem Hamdan, aka Abu Ramiz, 57, St. Louis, MO
Zainal Saleh, 29, St. Louis, MO and
Ibrahim Awad, 39, St. Louis, MO
