Land O' Lakes Spice Bust Snags Store Manager

The 46-year-old manager of a Marathon gas station in Land O’ Lakes faces criminal charges after Pasco County deputies say synthetic marijuana, also known as spice, was being sold out of the store.

Spice, or K2, is an illegal concoction. It contains a mix of herbs and chemicals meant to mimic the effects of other drugs, such as marijuana. Often packaged to be attractive to children, many of the ingredients used in spice production are illegal in Florida and Pasco passed a 2012 ordinance outlawing its sale and distribution.

Deputies announced the arrest of Jehab Alghnmeh on the agency’s Facebook page Tuesday. Alghnmeh is the manager of the 5736 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. store. An undercover investigation, deputies say, led to the discovery that spice was being sold out of the store.

Deputies confiscated more than 170 packages of spice during the bust. Alghnmeh faces sale and possession of a controlled substance charges.

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