DUNNELLON —
Deputies in Marion County have busted a major drug operation that was being operated out of a doughnut shop.
Deputies arrested:
Ahmed Mohsin, 36
Fares Rabah, 41
Ahmad Warayat, 27
All were charged with unlawful possession of synthetic marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Deputies arrested three men and seized a trailer full of K2, a synthetic drug that has similar characteristics to marijuana. The sheriff’s office said the drugs have a street value of at least $500,000.
Sheriff’s investigators raided the operation late Monday night at Sunrise Donuts & Coffee located at 10155 SW Highway 484, in Dunnellon and discovered a U-Haul truck loaded with hundreds of tote containers full of the drugs and supplies used to make the drugs.
Judge Cochran from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said the deputy who got to the scene first knew something illegal was going on.
"He could tell from his experience that this packaging was for the K2 product. And then he found out there were two other guys who were inside actually working with the illegal stuff," Cochran said.
Investigators said the business was closed and a complete K2 manufacturing setup was inside. Deputies found several tables set up with concrete mixers to make the synthetic drug. There were several stations to package the illegal fake pot into packets with names like "Scooby Snax," which could easily be mistaken for candy.
"Any synthetic drug that targets younger generation is a big problem. It’s a big concern," said Maj. Tommy Bibb from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. "Now that Florida statue has caught up to this type drug, we are doing more proactive action to get it off the street, and more and more people are reporting it.
The sheriff’s office said close to 12,000 prepared packages ready to hit the streets. The three men were planning to take the drugs to Tampa, deputies said.
Over the last two years, Florida lawmakers have passed bans against K2 and other synthetic drugs like it.
Law enforcement officers around the state have been on a mission to crack down on the drugs, which have been known to be dangerous to people’s health.
The drugs were found all over Ocala last week at convenience stores.
Drug agents hope to work with the 17 people arrested in the past week to find more of the synthetic marijuana and those making it.
