HOUSTON – The Houston Police Department and several federal government officials announced Tuesday afternoon the arrest of more than a dozen men with connections to a synthetic marijuana manufacturing and distribution operation worth millions of dollars.
University of Houston professor Omar Alnasser was among the 16 men arrested in the law enforcement project, Operation 'We Can Hear You Now.' The agencies also confiscated 9.5 tons of synthetic cannabinoid — also known as Kush.
Alnasser is accused of running an illegal money transmitting business for the organization.
Official said Kush has become one of the most dangerous, emerging and ongoing public health threat in the nation. The Drug Enforcement Administration labeled Houston a key market and source of Kush back in fall 2014.
"I want people to be aware this is a significant health issue, not only in this city (or) our district but in the nation," U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson said.
Tuesday morning, law enforcement agencies were also able to arrest several others in the Houston area including:
- Salem Fahed Tannous, 55.
- Ali Shaker Tafesh, 35.
- Khalil Munier Khalil, 40.
- Nagy Mahmound Ali, 59
- Mohammed Rafat Taha, 27
- Steve Shafiq Amira, 58
- Muhammad Shariq Siddiqi, 45
- Ayisha Khurram, 40
- Sayed Ali, 41
- Abdalnour Izz, 31
- Hazim Hisham Qadus, 31
In addition, authorities arrested Virginia resident Khader Fahed Tanous, 49, and Frank Muratalla, 23, from Hawthorne, California.
Magidson laid out the details of a sprawling federal investigation. The IRS, FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration, Houston police and several other agencies worked alongside each other to break the back of an organization authorities said was selling Kush at stores throughout south Texas.
Magidson said those arrested were essentially selling poison sprayed onto plant material, much of which was marketed to children. Authorities pointed out how the operation used colorful packaging that attracts not only drug users but also adolescents.
The federal government also hopes to seize $35 million in addition to lengthy prison sentences. It's the amount that the agencies suspect this criminal organization made in synthetic drug sales.
"This is a case where we collaborated in a cooperative law enforcement adventure," Magidson said. "It took state, local and federal resources to go after the heart and soul of a criminal organization."
Authorities are still searching for Houston-area residents Ziad Alsalameh, 56, and Aquil Khader, 33.
Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asked to call the DEA at 713-693-3000.