Pubdate: Thu, 10 Apr 2014
Source: Hampton Union, The (NH)
Copyright: 2014 Seacoast Online.
Contact:  http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/hampton/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3146
Author: Jason Schreiber
Note: MAP archives articles exactly as published, except that our editors
may redact the names and addresses of accused persons who have not been
convicted of a crime, if those named are not otherwise public figures or
officials.

FEDERAL PROBE UNCOVERS FAKE POT OPERATION

Multiple Seacoast Communities Linked To Investigation

Two suspected dealers have been charged with selling an extremely
potent form of synthetic marijuana as part of a major operation that
allegedly included sales to undercover agents on the Seacoast.

[name' redacted], address unknown, and [name2 redacted], of Lawrence,
Mass., are facing federal charges of conspiracy to distribute and
possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

The two are being held without bail after their arrests on March 28
following a three-month investigation by agents from the federal Drug
Enforcement Administration.

The probe took undercover agents to locations around the Seacoast,
including Hampton, Portsmouth, Seabrook and Kittery, Maine. It's not
clear if there were any additional related arrests

Agents were also led to a barn on Jacobs Well Road in Epping where one
of the accused dealers claimed batches of synthetic marijuana were
mixed in cement mixers. Several boxes were removed from the home on
the night of March 28, but agents at the scene wouldn't talk about
their investigation.

[name1 redacted] and [name2 redacted] were nabbed after allegedly
making one last deal with agents at an undisclosed location in
Portsmouth where they sold more than 30 bags weighing approximately
500 pounds, according to an affidavit by Mark Clifford, a York Police
Department detective assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration's
Portsmouth Tactical Unit.

[name2 redacted] allegedly delivered another 30 bags that day and was
then arrested.

[name1 redacted] was also arrested after agents agreed to pay $500,000
for the synthetic marijuana, of which $250,000 was handed over just
before the arrest.

The two allegedly admitted to the extreme potency of the product known
in the past by the brand names "Spice" or "K2."

Special agents and task force officers in New Hampshire began
investigating sales of synthetic marijuana at convenience stores in
December.

Clifford described synthetic marijuana as a mixture of an organic
"carrier" medium, such as an herb-like substance, which is then
typically sprayed or mixed with a synthetic compound chemically
similar to THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive ingredient in
marijuana.

DEA now lists certain substances as controlled substances, resulting
in clandestine manufacturers and traffickers who now distribute
smokable synthetic cannabinoid products with slightly varied synthetic
cannabinoid compounds in an attempt to circumvent newly enacted
federal and state laws, according to Clifford.

The products are often marketed as incense or "fake weed" and are
often sold in head shops, tobacco shops, gas stations, convenience
stores, adult stores and over the Internet.

The probe began with the purchase of synthetic marijuana from a store
in Londonderry on Dec. 31.

Another undercover officer met with the owner of the Londonderry
convenience store, which wasn't identified, on Jan. 10 and paid $600
for approximately 50 bags of synthetic marijuana under the names
"Toxic Blue Magic" and "Bizarro," Clifford wrote in his affidavit.

Another 50 bags were allegedly sold from the same store on Jan. 21,
some under other names.

On Feb. 27, undercover agents met with that store owner, and during a
recorded conversation, expressed interest in obtaining a large
quantity to sell in Florida.

The owner told the agents that he got his products from a distributor
who was later identified as [name2 redacted]. The owner then called
[name2 redacted].

"[name2 redacted] advised that the products were illegal in Florida
but indicated that he was willing to ship the products to Florida.
[name2 redacted] advised that he shipped the products to multiple
different states," Clifford wrote.

Agents later met with the store owner and discussed arranging a
transaction with [name2 redacted], who claimed to sell 150 kilograms
of synthetic marijuana a month.

At one point during conversations with undercover agents, [name2
redacted] commented, "My stuff is stronger than anyone's out there,"
the affidavit said.

He allegedly told the agents that when selling the products to
customers they should tell them that they were "800 times" stronger
than other marijuana on the market.

[name2 redacted] allegedly told the agents that he had five baggers
and one sealer and that he was currently operating out of Lawrence,
Mass., but moved his operation frequently.

The agents allegedly paid [name2 redacted] $1,800 for 200 packages of
"Toxic Blue Magic" and "Caution Platinum."

Agents then arranged to buy more at [name2 redacted]'s home at
[address redacted] in Lawrence, the affidavit said.

At one point, the affidavit said, [name2 redacted] showed the
undercover agents his packaging operation located in a shed on his
property. Agents reported seeing three individuals placing "leafy
substances" into small packages.

"Inside the residence, the (agents) also observed thousands of empty
packages similar to the ones they had purchased in the past," the
affidavit said.

[name2 redacted] also allegedly told agents that he obtains his
products from another individual and that he bags product for that
person. Later in the conversation, [name2 redacted] informed agents
that he worked with an individual who had a barn in Epping where that
person mixes the synthetic marijuana in cement mixers and then
"spreads multiple kilograms of the product on plastic sheets. The
product then is sprayed with synthetics," the affidavit said.

Agents bought another 200 packages for $1,600.

He later allegedly agreed to ship about 300 packages to
Florida.

On March 17, [name2 redacted] met with several undercover agents at an
unidentified restaurant in Hampton, where they paid $2,580 for 300
packages, the affidavit said.

[name2 redacted] later told agents that he has "millions" of bags at
his residence and sometimes has workers bagging synthetic marijuana 24
hours a day.

He said he worked with another person who operated multiple
manufacturing locations in Manchester and Nashua, the affidavit said.

On March 18, agents met [name2 redacted] and [name1 redacted], who had
allegedly claimed that he could provide 15,000 grams of products, at a
location in Kittery, Maine.

[name1 redacted] allegedly told agents that he sold a product that was
"high end" and "perfect" and agents later made a deal to purchase
$7,500 worth of synthetic marijuana.

After the meeting, surveillance officers saw [name2 redacted] and
[name1 redacted] travel in [name2 redacted]'s Jeep to a business
location in Seabrook and later to a home in Seabrook, the affidavit
said.

The Jeep was later seen traveling to the home on Jacobs Well Road in
Epping, where two large shipping containers were allegedly seen on the
property.

Later on March 18, [name2 redacted] returned to Maine where he sold
the 15,000 grams for $7,500, the affidavit said.

[name2 redacted] told agents that [name1 redacted] used more chemicals
on his products than other manufacturers and that [name1 redacted]
knows the laws and is a product were banned in July, "we would make a
new one in June," the affidavit said.

[name2 redacted] told agents that [name1 redacted] worked out of
multiple locations, including Epping, Manchester and Nashua.

Police said [name1 redacted]'s criminal record includes convictions
for drug possession, falsifying physical evidence and resisting arrest.

U.S. Attorney John Farley, the prosecutor, referred questions to a
U.S. attorney's office spokesman, who did not immediately return calls. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D