Arrests after years of investigation.
AB Wire
Several South Asians-origin individuals are among a total of 16 people who were charged following a multi-year, multi-agency federal investigation into one of the largest synthetic cannabinoid trafficking enterprises in the country.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson for the Southern District of Texas made the announcement on Tuesday.
“Today, a major criminal organization that dealt in the large-scale manufacturing and distributing of synthetic cannabinoids was dismantled,” said Magidson, according to the Justice Department. “The unsealed indictment and related arrests are the results of a significant federal, state and local effort that was international in scope. These drugs are extremely dangerous and are emerging into a serious public health threat in both our area and the nation as a whole.”
A federal grand jury returned a 13-count federal indictment April 28, alleging a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, aiding and abetting possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, aiding and abetting the smuggling of goods into the U.S., conspiracy to commit money laundering, aiding and abetting a money transmitting business and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. With the exception of aiding and abetting a money transmitting business, which carries a possible five-year-prison term, the penalty on any of the other charges is up to 20 years in federal prison.
The indictment alleges several co-conspirators devised a scheme to defraud by marketing their products as though they were safe. Some of the products were allegedly labeled as “potpourri” or “incense,” with some including false information such as “100% legal,” “lab certified” or “not for human consumption.”
According to the charges, these products were, in fact, dangerous drugs. Specifically, they were synthetic cannabinoids that were manufactured and sold for human consumption. The substances allegedly contained hazardous chemicals that, when smoked or ingested, could cause serious bodily harm.
The indictment indicates the drugs in question were all schedule I drugs – substances or chemicals with no currently accepted medical use, have a high potential for abuse, are the most dangerous drugs of all scheduled drugs and have potential for severe psychological or physical dependence.
As part of the announcement today, authorities provided detailed information to warn of the dangers of this emerging public health threat. The effects of these drugs were described as unpredictable, with wide-ranging physiological effects to include possible kidney damage and gastrointestinal distress to possible seizures and even psychosis. Leaders also described how these are made and the unsafe and often dirty environments in which they are created, to include inconsistent batches blended in cement mixers and similar equipment. According to the information provided, this can result in “hot spots” in which one sample could have a significantly greater amount of harmful chemical than another.
Authorities also detailed the marketing of these drugs, citing the colorful packaging that targets only drug abusers, but also children and adolescents.
The law enforcement effort today resulted in the arrest of 12 people in the Houston area – Salem Fahed Tannous, 55, Omar Maher Alnasser, 36, Ali Shaker Tafesh, 35, Khalil Munier Khalil, 40, Nagy Mahmoud Ali, 59, Mohammed Rafat Taha, 27, and Steve Shafiq Amira, 58, all of Houston; Muhammad Shariq Siddiqi, 45, Ayisha Khurram, 40, and Sayed Ali, 41, all of Sugar Land; Abdalnour Izz, 31, of Missouri City; and Hazim Hisham Qadus, 31, of South Houston.
Khader Fahed Tanous, 49, of Stephens City, Virginia, and Frank Muratalla, 23, of Hawthorne, California, are also charged.
Authorities are still seeking Ziad Mahmoud Alsalameh, 56, of Pearland, Texas, and Aqil Khader, 33, of Houston. They are considered fugitives and warrants remain outstanding for their arrests.
The indictment includes a notice of forfeiture and seeks $35 million money judgment as alleged illegal proceeds from the crimes.