NEW YORK CITY — More than 13 pounds of crack cocaine were seized from a tobacco shop in Manhattan during a routine inspection last week, prosecutors said.
On August 9, 37-year-old Mazen Tahhan was standing behind the counter of the tobacco shop at 20 Clinton Street around 1 p.m. when members of the New York Sheriff’s Office’s Joint Compliance Task Force entered the store.
Packaging materials for cannabis and other marijuana accessories were clearly visible when officers entered the store, prosecutors said.
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Officers then entered an office in the back of the store and saw a large amount of suspected crack cocaine in large ziplock bags and white plastic containers, prosecutors said.
Several scales were found, as well as thousands of empty glassine envelopes and plastic capsules and hundreds of empty paper foils allegedly used to package narcotics.
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Tahhan was charged with first- and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia.
Officers took Tahhan’s store keys and $1,876 in cash.
“This case demonstrates the importance of collaborative efforts to combat the proliferation of illegal cannabis shops. We will continue to investigate whether cannabis shops are hiding dangerous narcotics to protect the health and safety of our communities,” Special Narcotics Attorney Bridget G. Brennan said in a statement.
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