Apex police seize 116 drug-laced candy bars and boxes of fake urine
Police in Apex raided a tobacco and vape store after a lengthy drug investigation, seizing more than 100 chocolate bars laced with psilocybin and six boxes full of synthetic urine.
The Nov. 4 seizure at Apex Tobacco and Vape on West William Street followed a months-long narcotics probe and yielded drug evidence disguised as legal consumer products, police said in a Monday news release.
The owner, Fathi Algutaini, 39, of Raleigh, has been charged with maintaining a dwelling for the purposes of keeping or selling controlled substances, criminal use of counterfeit trademark, defrauding drug and alcohol screening tests and health law violations.
Police also charged two employees, Yasmin Ahmadi, 21, of Apex, and Meqdad Alwadi, 32, of Apex, with selling or delivering a controlled substance.
Items Apex police seized include:
▪ 116 chocolate bars containing psilocybin;
▪ 3.3 pounds of marijuana
▪ 86 THC Vape Cartridges with a THC concentration of 95% of higher;
▪ 41 boxes of prescription contact lenses
▪ six boxes of Synthetic Urine
▪ $12,130.00 in cash.
Photos from the drug seizure showed packages labeled as Airheads Xtremes Bites, bluest raspberry flavor.
Police warned parents to be on guard for products that appear to be ordinary foodstuff because of their packaging but actually contain drugs. Further photos appear on the department’s Facebook page.
In general, contact lenses are regulated medical devices to be sold only by licensed professionals. Synthetic urine is often bought by those attempting to pass drug tests.
This story was originally published November 8, 2022 at 8:33 AM.