Here's an example of what should have been a major news story passed over by the mainstream media, likely because of the unbelievable number of Muslim defendants named in the indictments.
What is just as concerning as the drug trafficking charges are the money laundering charges against many of the Muslim defendants, involving millions of dollars. Knowing how the Taliban has successfully used the opium trade to finance its jihad in Afghanistan and Pakistan, I wouldn't be surprised to see this court case may expose an expansive jihad terror financing operation.
Thanks to one of the best counter-jihad blogs around, Creeping Sharia.
Tennessee: ‘Largest-ever coordinated’ synthetic drug bust nets 20+ Muslims
Creeping Sharia — 12/11/2013
An international ring busted this summer that apparently wasn’t national news. via Synthetic Drug Indictments and Raids Net Dozens of Defendants | WBBJTV West Tennessee’s News Channel | h/t Act Memphis
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Indictments were unsealed Wednesday in Memphis and Jackson, TN naming 40 people alleged to be part of the synthetic drug trade in West Tennessee, announced U.S. Attorney Edward L. Stanton III; Resident Agent-in-Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Memphis office Brian Chambers; and Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich.
“Project Synergy,” a DEA initiative, is the largest-ever coordinated law enforcement strike against designer drugs, targeting manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of more than 250 synthetic drugs being abused every day in the United States and globally. This initiative was conducted in conjunction with prosecutors in Memphis and Jackson as part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program, which seeks to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.
“As alleged, the defendants were involved in an international web of distributing illegal synthetic drugs at numerous retail establishments throughout West Tennessee and beyond, many lining their pockets with multi-million-dollar profits,” said U.S. Attorney Stanton. “Today’s indictments, arrests and seizures demonstrate that the manufacturing, distribution and purchase of these highly addictive and potentially lethal substances will not be tolerated, and those who are brazen enough to sell this poison, particularly to our children and young adults, will be held accountable. I thank the DEA for their diligent efforts with this case over the past two years and the more than 400 federal, state and local law enforcement officials who took part in today’s sweeping take down throughout the Western District of Tennessee.”
After a two-year investigation involving federal state and local law enforcement, hundreds of purchases and seizures were made from more than 34 different storefronts in the Western District of Tennessee. During today’s takedown more than 76 search warrants and 35 arrest warrants were executed.
Officials said the drugs seized in this investigation generally fall into two categories: synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic cathinones. Synthetic cannabinoids, often known by the street names “Spice” or “K2,” mimic the hallucinogenic effects of marijuana with the added side effects of hallucinations, seizures, and dependency/addiction not usually associated with marijuana users.
Synthetic cathinones, better known as “bath salts” or “plant food,” produce a high similar to methamphetamine, MDMA or cocaine. Abusers experience chest pain, increased blood pressure, agitation, panic attacks, irrational behavior, hallucinations, paranoia, delusions, and even heart attacks and strokes.
“The sellers of synthetic drugs specifically target our young people,” said District Attorney General Weirich. “We will not sit back and ignore this threat to our children and to the entire community.”
The following individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in Memphis: (names & charges below the fold)
• Ali S. Abdelrahim, 51, Collierville, TN, charged with two counts of conspiracy to possess and distribute. If convicted he faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million for each conspiracy count. If previously convicted of a drug crime, the sentence could be up to 30 years and the fine up to $2 million for each count.
• Maged Ali-Ahmed Abdullah, 45, Memphis, charged with one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute. If convicted he faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. If previously convicted of a drug crime, the sentence could be up to 30 years and the fine up to $2 million.
• Samer Abu-Atiyeh, age, address, charged with one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute. If convicted he faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. If previously convicted of a drug crime, the sentence could be up to 30 years and the fine up to $2 million.
• Kadhim Almaslouk, 43, Memphis, TN, charged with one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute. If convicted he faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. If previously convicted of a drug crime, the sentence could be up to 30 years and the fine up to $2 million.
• Yousef Al Sharif, 39, Cordova, TN, charged with two counts of conspiracy to possess and distribute. If convicted he faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million for each conspiracy count. If previously convicted of a drug crime, the sentence could be up to 30 years and the fine up to $2 million for each count.
• Sung Su An, 44, Collierville, TN, charged with one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute. If convicted he faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. If previously convicted of a drug crime, the sentence could be up to 30 years and the fine up to $2 million.
• Emad Bahhur, 57, Germantown, TN, charged with two counts of conspiracy to possess and distribute. If convicted he faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million for each conspiracy count. If previously convicted of a drug crime, the sentence could be up to 30 years and the fine up to $2 million for each count.
• Fayez Bahhur, 32, Cordova, TN, charged with two counts of conspiracy to possess and distribute and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted he faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million for each conspiracy count. If previously convicted of a drug crime, the sentence could be up to 30 years and the fine up to $2 million for each count. The money laundering charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and fine of up to half a million dollars...
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