Wesley Chapel Man Charged In Spice Case

TEMPLE TERRACE, FL — A two-month investigation into the illegal sale of synthetic marijuana has resulted in the arrest of a Wesley Chapel man.

According to the Temple Terrace Police Department, Emad Aldean El Faraj, 38, was brought into custody Tuesday. The agency began investigating El Faraj’s alleged activities about two months ago.

Detectives say El Faraj has been selling synthetic marijuana, also known as “spice,” under the counter at the 7-Star Food Mart, 7749 Temple Terrace Highway. El Faraj, a police department media release said, is the store’s manager.

El Faraj was arrested at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. He was charged with two counts of possession and two counts of possession with intent to distribute. Additional charges are pending further investigation.

Spice 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.

Back in March, a number of spice-related overdoses were reported in St. Petersburg and Clearwater.

“It appears a particular batch of spice is causing some people to have a severe reaction,” St. Pete police said in March. “Our officers were out spreading the word on the street to stay away from spice.”

None of the reported overdoses resulted in death. Symptoms, however, included vomiting, seizures and unconsciousness, officials said.

A booking photo of El Faraj from the Hillsborough County Jail was not immediately available.

Image via Shutterstock

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