Hillsborough Sheriff Busts Ring Selling Stolen Cigarettes

TAMPA. FL -- A multi-jurisdictional operation involving state and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors shut down a major stolen cigarette operation that spanned 20 counties.

On April 12, Hillsborough County Special Investigations Division detectives, with the assistance of district patrol units, concluded a month-long investigation into stores illegally purchasing stolen cigarettes in Hillsborough County.

Detectives were able to obtain probable cause for search warrants at 15 stores and 18 arrest warrants. During Operation Up in Smoke, undercover detectives sold 170 cartons of cigarettes to the various stores and received $3,620 as payment for the cigarettes. The true retail value of the cartons sold was $10,880.

"Shutting down this illegal cigarette ring levels the playing field for businesses who do the right thing by following the law and complying with our regulations. This is a win for everyone." said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister.

Detectives served the court-authorized search warrants and seized the following items: approximately $60,000, four firearms, marijuana,

synthetic marijuana, 142 stolen packs of cigarettes (sold by detectives) and miscellaneous paraphernalia.

The marijuana was found in various forms, including plant material, oils, creams, edibles, and capsules. A total of 15 people were arrested as a result of this operation. An outstanding warrant remains for Jihad Nawabeet, who is a clerk at Snack Attack Store, 6824 N. 50th St., Tampa.

Also participating in Operation Up in Smoke were the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Office of the Florida Attorney General, the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office and the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.

All together, these agencies made 17 arrests on 135 separate charges.

"This is a textbook example of how inter-agency cooperation makes not only Hillsborough County safer, but the entire state. Crime doesn't stop at our county line, even if our jurisdiction may," Chronister said. "Today it was cigarettes, but tomorrow it could be anything, and joint operations like this show we can make it work successfully and ultimately our communities benefit throughout the region."

The FDLE investigation determined that two men, Christopher Booker, 29, and Quentin Moore, 24, had been targeting chain convenience stores and retail outlets, stealing large volumes of cigarettes.

After spending several hours investigating more than 120 different police reports, agents learned the retail theft and robbery spree included 51 incidents across 20 counties and 10 judicial circuits.

Both Booker and Moore are facing one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering.

Additionally, Booker is facing 29 counts of grand theft; seven counts of petit theft; six counts of burglary with a mask; and eight counts of robbery with a mask.

Moore is facing 34 counts of grand theft; seven counts of petit theft; four counts of burglary with a mask; and four counts of robbery with a mask.

"These suspects are facing serious charges, including racketeering, that could put them away for a long time," said Mark Brutnell, FDLE's Special Agent in Charge for the Tampa region. "Through great partnerships and solid investigations, we put a damper on Operation Up in Smoke."

Arrested were:

• Mohammad Sabla, 22, a clerk at the 2K Express, 1511 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa
• Cephes West, 53, a clerk at B & R Market, 13002 N. 15th St., Tampa
• Mohsen Musiad, 26, a clear at Best Value Grocery, 7015 N. Himes Ave., Tampa
• Ibrahim Iwaiwi, 24, a clerk at Billionair Smoke Shop, 1214 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Seffner
• Hisham Abuaram, 45, a clerk at Highland Pine Grocery. 3011 Melbourne Blvd., Tampa
• Abhineet Sood, 27, a clerk at Lithia Smoke Shop, 1001 Lithia-Pinecrest Road, Brandon
• Muntaser El Booz, 44, clerk at Marathon Gas Station, 5701 Memorial Highway, Tampa
• Husam Suleiman, 21, a clerk, and Tariq Hammad, 31, owner/manager, at Shop Rite, 7027 N. Himes Ave., Tampa
• Salama Mahmoud, 35, a clerk at the Shell Gas Station, 7615 Gunn Highway, Carrollwood
• Wasim Soboh, 35, owner/manager of Smoke Casa & More, 2500 E. Busch Blvd., Tampa
• Hamzeh Ayoub; 29, clerk at the Snack Attack, 6824 N. 50th St., Tampa
• Jamil Saleh, 26, a clerk at Southern Vibez, 7230 S. U.S. 301, Riverview
• Eyas Sullaiman, 29, a clerk at The 813 Star, 6904 N. 56th St., Temple Terrace
• Gregory Hernandez, 52, owner/manager of The Castle Smoke Shop, 8872 N. Florida Ave.. Tampa.

Images via Hillsborough Sheriff