Cops: Shorewood tobacco shop was selling synthetic pot
By Brian Stanley bstanley@stmedianetwork.com January 8, 2013 12:20PM
Mohammed Shareef, 34, of Romeoville
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Updated: February 10, 2013 5:55PM
SHOREWOOD — Police say a tobacco shop was selling synthetic marijuana under the counter before it was busted Monday.
Chief Aaron Klima said police had heard rumors customers were able to request the drugs at Cigarettes For Less, 150 Brookforest Ave., and sent an informant to make purchases.
“It wasn’t in the display cases, you had to ask for it, but they would sell to their regulars,” Klima said.
Until January 2012, synthetic drugs were legally sold at many tobacco shops despite containing toxic chemicals. It appears this is the first synthetic bust at a Will County business.
“When the law was (coming into effect) I personally visited the then-four tobacco shops in town to tell the owners they could no longer sell them,” Klima said. “We’ve done periodic compliance checks since then.”
Police arrested employee Mohammed Shareef, 34, of 460 Claire Ave., Romeoville, and owner Mijad Iqbal, 52, of 1714 Brighton Lane, Plainfield, Monday afternoon at the store.
Both men were arrested on charges of drug possession and the business was closed.
Klima said officers seized 170 baggies of synthetic drugs from the business, with a total weight of nearly one pound.
Klima said the drugs will be tested at the crime lab to determine the chemical content, and additional charges could result from those findings.
Will County state’s attorney’s spokesman Charles B. Pelkie said prosecutors were still reviewing the case, and formal charges had not been filed Tuesday.
