Four face charges of manufacturing, distributing synthetic pot in Palm Beach County
By Alexandra Seltzer
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Posted: 5:01 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, 2013
Three months ago when an undercover Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputy handed nine boxes of synthetic marijuana PACKAGING to William Sands, the western Boca Raton man was relieved, and said he thought the boxes were seized by U.S. Customs.
The deputy told Sands, 46, he knew nothing about that, and while standing outside of a Pak Mail on Glades Road in Boca Raton, the two shook hands.
Sands is now facing criminal charges, for the second time since October, and is accused of manufacturing and selling synthetic marijuana with three others.
Sands, his wife Ann Sands,51, Sudhir Suwal, 42, and Tihomir Gulan, 46, all were arrested over the past week as part of Operation Last Dance,
an investigation that started in June when the sheriff’s office was notified by Homeland Security Investigations that they seized 40,000 empty packets of synthetic marijuana packaging.
The investigation involved executing search warrants at 11199 Seagrass Circle in suburban Boca Raton and at 216 South F St. in Lake Worth.
Authorities seized 292 pounds of synthetic marijuana, worth about $1.25 million on the street, and over $215,000 of illegal proceeds.
The four face charges of manufacturing synthetic marijuana and manufacturing a schedule I controlled substance. Additional charges are pending, said sheriff’s spokesman Eric Davis.
Authorities say William Sands organized and ran the day-to-day operations of the business. Suwal was partners with Sands and was in charge of the overseas operation purchasing chemicals. Gulan was in charge of manufacturing the product under Sands. Investigators say Ann Sands lives in the home on Seagrass Circle where the operation was conducted and there was no way she wasn’t aware of the business.
The product was manufactured in the home’s cabana area. After executing a search warrant there authorities say they found bags and boxes of synthetic marijuana, several digital scales, a sealing machine, thousands of labels describing different types of the drug and numerous acetone containers, which is used in producing the product.
Investigators also found documents detailing purchases from spice companies for ingredients of synthetic marijuana including marshmallow leaf.
Gulan, of Tamarac, was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail Thursday and released after posting $9,000 bond. William and Ann Sands were booked Aug. 29 and were both released Aug. 30 after each posting $6,000 bond. Suwal, of Boca Raton, was booked Wednesday and was released Thursday after posting $6,000 bond, jail records show.
"Your as mighty as the flower that grows the stones away"
The Noose is getting tighter
Sure sounds like it started with some entrapment, he was induced to build a relationship with a cop
I woulda been way more paranoid had my product baggies
been seized
poor, greedy bastards
Their product was likely one that never harmed anyone either.
I love how The authorities have determined that since Ann lived in the home-even tho The Product
was manufactured in the guest house (cabana area) there was No Way
she could have not known of this operation. WTF happened to innocent until proven guilty
in a court of law? The judge should hafta hold this trial in a dif state to find folks who didn’t read the loudmouth
authorities accusations in any state newspapers. That would up the ante on loudmouth authority jerks who are
supposedly impartial
oh well hell they had marshmallow leaf there…throw away the key!
It is scary to know that they busted him by seizing the packaging and then started an investigation.
I wonder if the printer turned them in or the cops were alerted by the manufacturer of the packaging?
"Your as mighty as the flower that grows the stones away"
Anyone using old mylar bags from closed companies is a fucking idiot and deserves to be busted.
Anyone using old mylar bags from closed companies is a fucking idiot and deserves to be busted.
:goodpost
especially idiots using banned Blend name Stickers….duhhhhh..lol
Word. That’s false advertising.
Word. That’s false advertising.
LMAO
It feels good to be running from the devil
Another breath and I'm up another level
It feels good to be up above the clouds
It feels good for the first time in a long time now
They had over 100 kilos of processed product.
They must have been a major supplier of some of those copycat brands.
"Your as mighty as the flower that grows the stones away"
They had over 100 kilos of processed product.
They must have been a major supplier of some of those copycat brands.
100 kilos..THAT would fill my swimming pool up..i could finally do my spice laps like I always said I would…