Published 11:57 am Monday, February 10, 2025
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Four suspects are in custody on charges of selling nearly $40,000 worth of marijuana that police say they seized from four vape stores in Smithfield.
The town has revoked the business licenses for all four stores, closing them indefinitely.
Multiple police units descended on each store shortly after 11 a.m. on Feb. 10. Pink signs reading “zoning violation, no sales permitted” were taped to the doors of Planet Tobacco & Mart in the former 7-Eleven on South Church Street, Tobacco & Vape in Smithfield Square shopping center on South Church, Tobacco & Vape in Cypress Run Plaza shopping center off Benns Church Boulevard and Discount Vape & Tobacco in the Smithfield Shopping Plaza by Kroger.
“Illegal sale of marijuana is not tolerated; as such, the business has been shut down for the illegal sale of marijuana in violation of town ordinance,” said Smithfield Police Chief Alonzo Howell.
Retail sale of marijuana remains illegal in Virginia despite a 2021 change in state law that decriminalized possession of up to an ounce. Though legislation that would create a legal marijuana market by 2026 is pending in the General Assembly, it remains a felony to sell more than an ounce.
Police say they found 11.2 ounces of marijuana at Planet Tobacco and charged Abdulla Yahya, an employee, with one felony count and one misdemeanor count of possession with intent to distribute.
The second suspect, Oumar Hammety of the Smithfield Square Tobacco & Vape store, also faces one felony count and one misdemeanor count of possession with intent to distribute. Police say they found 3½ pounds of marijuana at the store.
The third suspect, Kelsey Ewell of Discount Vape & Tobacco, faces two felony counts and two misdemeanor counts of possession with intent to distribute after police say they found 20 ounces at the store.
The fourth suspect, Aiman Alghazali of the Cypress Run Plaza Tobacco & Vape store, also faces two felony counts and two misdemeanor counts of possession with intent to distribute after police say they seized 6.2 pounds of marijuana from the store.
The seized marijuana from all four stores has a street value of $39,465, according to police. Police are still working to identify additional violations and potential suspects.
Police say the four-month undercover investigation, which was conducted in partnership with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles’ law enforcement division, town staff, the Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s Office, the Virginia State Police Drug Task Force and the Isle of Wight County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, began four months ago when SPD received a tip alleging the four stores were selling their products to underage customers. Virginia law sets 21 as the minimum age to purchase vape pens, a type of electronic cigarette that heats a liquid to deliver nicotine or other drugs and chemicals in aerosolized form.
Howell said none of the pending charges relates to the underage sale of vape supplies.
The sale of more than an ounce but less than 5 pounds is a Class 5 felony under Virginia law, conviction of which carries a sentence of one to 10 years in prison, or at the discretion of a jury or judge, up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. Conviction for the sale of more than 5 pounds carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 7:45 p.m. on Feb. 10 with the names of the suspects arrested.
A suspect is in custody on a charge of selling marijuana that police say they seized from four vape stores in Smithfield. All have been closed by order of town zoning staff. Smithfield Police say similar charges are pending against three others in connection with an undercover narcotics investigation at the four stores. Multiple police Read More
