FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 2, 2013
Yesterday, May 1, 2013, Agents of the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad (CMANS), and officers from the Canton Police Department and the Cherokee County Marshal’s Office executed a search warrant at the Texaco, 101 Riverstone Parkway, Canton, GA 30114. Agents arrested the owner of the business, Karim Kabiroodin Damani, and an employee of the business, Jesus Ortiz Cisneros. Both were arrested on charges of Possession with the Intent to Distribute Schedule I Controlled Substance. In this case, the substance was a synthetic cannabinoid, or synthetic marijuana. Agents had received complaints regarding the business selling the illegal substances, and had conducted an investigation which lead to the search warrant.
CMANS Agents were able to locate 22 packages of synthetic cannabinoids, materials which are a Schedule One Controlled Substance. The street value of the drugs would be $600 – $1,100. Schedule One substances are those which have no medical value, and are identified as a substantial health risk.
CMANS, and its member agencies, have committed to do whatever is possible, within the law, to keep these dangerous products out of the hands of children and teenagers in our community.
Phil Price, Commander of CMANS, pointed out “The sale of these substances is highly lucrative, and it is tempting for business to get involved in this illegal activity. But, the health and lives of our children are too precious to be placed at risk for a little financial benefit.”
Last year, on March 27, 2012, Governor Nathan Deal signed Senate Bill 370, known as the Synthetic Marijuana Bill into law. This law made all types of synthetic marijuana and synthetic substances known as “bath salts’ know at that time illegal to possess or sell in Georgia. Manufactures immediately began to produce products which skirted the new Georgia Law. A new family of potentially deadly substances has been identified by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Division of Forensic Science and were classified as Schedule One Controlled Substances during the 2013 session of the Legislature.
The Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad is a joint task force working in Cherokee County to investigate drug related violations. Participating agencies include the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Canton Police Department, the Woodstock Police Department, the Holly Springs Police Department, the Ball Ground Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office for the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit, the Cherokee County BOE Police, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia State Patrol. Citizens may call in tips anonymously to (770) 345- 7920, or may speak to an agent by calling (770) 704-2350.
