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On Monday, November 6, 2023, members of the Rome Police Department Special Investigations Unit, Patrol Division, and Forensics Unit executed a search warrant at Rome Dairy Market LLC, 603 North James St. and Rome Habib Market, 301 Lawrence St in regards to the possession and sale of unstamped/untaxed cigarettes.
• At Rome Dairy Market LLC, a quantity of unstamped/untaxed cigarettes was seized, along with a quantity of cannabis products and over 4500 flavored nicotine vapor products. Store employee, Cheikhsid Mohamed Chafi, 33-year-old of Syracuse, was arrested and charged with Possession or Sale of Unstamped Cigarettes and subsequently released with an appearance ticket.
• At Rome Habib Market 63 Cartons and 101 loose packs of unstamped/untaxed cigarettes were seized, a quantity of cannabis products, a quantity of US Currency, and about 254 flavored nicotine vape products.
Store employee, Abdulrazzaq H. Al-Samet, 47-year-old of Rome, was arrested and charged with Possession of 10,000 cigarettes or more (50 cartons), E-Felony, and subsequently released with an appearance ticket.
The Rome Police Department was assisted by the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit, the Oneida County Health Department, and the New York State Office of Cannabis Management.
Rome Habib Market was the target of a similar investigation in May of 2023. In that case, the Rome Police Department had executed a search warrant on the Rome Habib Market, at that time a different employee was charged with Possession of 10,000 cigarettes or more (50 cartons) E-Felony. This case is still pending in Oneida County Court.
Rome Dairy Mart was also the target of a similar investigation in May of 2023. In that case, a different employee was charged with Possession of untaxed/unstamped cigarettes (A Misdemeanor). This case is still pending in Rome City Court.
