ROME, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) — Two people were arrested by Rome Police in warrant executions in the City of Rome on Monday, Nov. 6 in regard to unstamped and untaxed cigarettes.
The first execution was at the Rome Dairy Market on North James Street where police arrested 33-year-old Cheiksid Mohamed Chafi of Syracuse after seizing over 4,500 untaxed flavored nicotine vape products.
Police also say they found an unknown quantity of unstamped and untaxed cigarettes along with an unknown quantity of cannabis products.
The second execution was at the Rome Habib Market on Lawrence Street, where Police arrested 47-year-old Abdulrazzaq Al-Samet of Rome after finding 63 cartons and 101 loose packs of untaxed cigarettes.
Police also say they seized an unknown quantity of cannabis and money, as well as over 250 flavored nicotine vape products.
Chafi charged with Possession or Sale of Unstamped Cigarettes and Al-Samet was charged with possession of 10,000 unstamped cigarettes or more, a Class E felony in New York State.
Both were released with an appearance ticket, to be answered at a later date.
Both stores were the targets of a similar investigation by Rome Police in May where employees were subsequently charged with possession of unstamped and untaxed cigarettes.
The Rome Habib Market case from May is still pending in Oneida County Court and the Rome Dairy Mart’s case is pending in Rome City Court.
The Rome Police were assisted in both cases by the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit, the Oneida County Health Department, and the New York State Office Of Cannabis Management.
