CANTON, New York (WWNY) – In a joint operation on Thursday called “Trip Around the County”, St. Lawrence County law enforcement executed seven search warrants at seven smoke shops at the same time.
Officials say the operation was the result of a several-months-long investigation into illegal sales of controlled substances, marijuana concentrated cannabis, and vapes.
Marijuana is legal in New York state, but according to District Attorney Gary Pasqua, none of the shops involved were licensed to sell it.
At a news conference in Canton on Friday, Pasqua said the raids on Thursday were not about marijuana and whether it should be sold legally.
“This was about controlled substances and hallucinogenics being sold in these stores,” he said. “This is about them being sold to children in our communities. That’s why this was so important.”
“With no oversight, they will continue to endanger the citizens of St. Lawrence County and surrounding counties,” Sheriff Brooks Bigwarfe said.
“These stores were operating with no oversight and selling basically to whoever they wanted to,” Pasqua said. “If you look at some of the products that we have here on display, they’re almost marketed for children. They look like candy. They look like things children should be buying.”
Many people, Bigwarfe said, kept asking why his office wasn’t doing something about the allegedly illegal sales.
“We were doing something long ago, behind the scenes with these undercover operations,” he said.
Below are the seven shops where search warrants were executed:
Legends Smoke Shop, 701 Canton Street, town of Oswegatchie, within 400 feet of Ogdensburg Free Academy school grounds.
Arrested was 25-year-old Mohammed Abdo Mona Saleem of Syracuse. He was charged with fourth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell.
Also arrested was 26-year-old Olivia Henry, of Ogdensburg. She was charged with fourth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and two counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell.
Seized were 7.5 grams of psilocybin candy bar and gummies, 6.5 ounces of cannabis, 2,809 grams of concentrated cannabis, 2,190 flavored nicotine vapes, six switchblade-style knives, and $20,309 in cash.
Legends Dream Exotic Tobacco, 63 Market Street, Potsdam.
No one was present at the time of the search. Charges are pending.
Seized were 23.5 grams of Psilocybin, 29 ounces of cannabis, 1386 grams of concentrated cannabis, and 7,689 flavored nicotine vapes.
Ash Exotics, 1 Market Street, Potsdam.
Arrested was 25-year-old Musa Munir Abdulmalei Al Bahri of Syracuse. Charged with third-degree criminal sale of cannabis, selling to a person under the age of 21, second-degree criminal possession of cannabis, and two counts of unlawful sale of cannabis.
Seized were 3.5 pounds of cannabis, 1,224 grams of concentrated cannabis, 5,283 nicotine-flavored vapes, and $6,883 cash.
Famous A’s, 157 Center Street, Massena.
Arrested were 46-year-old Thunder Anderson of Hogansburg and 31-year-old Julianne Jacobs of Massena. They were each charged with second- and third-degree criminal possession of cannabis.
Seized were 42 pounds of cannabis, 5,707 grams of concentrated cannabis, 767 flavored nicotine vapes, and $1616 in cash.
THC Remedies, 6 Beach Street, Massena.
Arrested were 41-year-old Joshua Shorette of Brasher Falls and 31-year-old Justin Deshane of Massena, NY. They were each charged with second- and third-degree criminal possession of cannabis.
Seized were 13.8 pounds of cannabis, 857 grams of concentrated cannabis, 114 flavored nicotine vapes, and $3,161 in cash.
Exit 420, 101 East Main Street, Gouverneur.
Arrested was 20-year-old Jameel Mazab of Auburn. He was charged with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of cannabis.
Seized were 225 grams of concentrated cannabis, 27 ounces of cannabis, 1,140 flavored nicotine vapes, and $5,289 in cash.
Canton Tobacco Shop, 39 Main Street, Canton.
Arrested was 36-year-old Emad Al-Wael of Garland, Texas. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and third-degree criminal sale of cannabis, selling to a person under 21 years old.
Seized were 35 grams of psilocybin candy bars, 108 grams of concentrated cannabis, 48 ounces of kratom, 1,185 flavored nicotine vapes and $255 in cash.
Totals from all seven locations include 66 grams of psilocybin, 12,316 grams of concentrated cannabis, 63.2 pounds of cannabis, 18,368 flavored nicotine vapes, and $37,513 in cash.
All the concentrated cannabis was a combination of cannabis vape pens, wax, and edibles.
All the people arrested were either issued an appearance ticket or arraigned and released with future court dates.
The joint operation was led by members of the St. Lawrence County Drug Task Force. Assisting them were the sheriff’s office, the district attorney’s office, state police, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Border Patrol, and police departments from Canton, Potsdam, Gouverneur, Ogdensburg, and Massena.
Copyright 2023 WWNY. All rights reserved.
