Middle Eastern-owned smoke shops targeted by Harnett Sheriff raids after complaints of selling THC to children
Search warrants were executed at nine tobacco/vape shops in Harnett Co. this month after controlled buys revealed illegally high THC levels in vapes etc.
The Harnett County Sheriff's Office has obtained and executed search warrants on nine smoke shops across the county over the past two weeks after testing of vape and marijuana products purchased in controlled buys revealed illegal levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of marijuana.
According to the statement released by Sheriff Wayne Coats, the department had received complaints regarding the sale of THC products to minors, which has been linked to overdoses and/or medical emergencies for minors including incidents at Harnett County schools requiring EMS response.
As per the list of the owners of the targeted premises, each appears to have a name of Middle Eastern/Arabic/Muslim origin:
Omer Faisal Alfaqih
Ammar Qaid Al Mathil
Imad Aied Shibli
Hythem Ahmed-Ali Essa
Maged Ahmed Almansoob
Hasan Issa
Mohamed Saleh
Hani Saleh
Rouf Saleh
For reference, out of a sample of twenty results responding to a search for businesses registered with the NC Secretary of State listing individuals with a last name of "Saleh", a common Arabic name, eight of the results are for tobacco/vape shops, while another three are gas stations/convenience stores.
Search warrants
According to the search warrants obtained, the investigations into these locations began with narcotics officers at the HCSO conducting initial controlled buys in February for THC products openly sold by the shops, including disposable vapes and live resin.
During one such buy, an investigator was told by another patron that the vape he was purchasing was "authentic marijuana" sold through a "legal loophole," which the clerk reportedly agreed with.
The samples were provided to NMS Labs in Winston-Salem, which confirmed that the items cited in the search warrants exceeded the legal limit of 0.3% THC concentration by at least 3x.
The officers followed up with at least one additional controlled buy at each of the locations including products which were observed to be "marijuana that was rolled up in wraps" or "cigarillos."
The search warrants named a wide variety of items to be seized, including controlled substances, drug paraphernalia, records, computers, and weapons; the execution of the warrants between August 6 and August 25 resulted in the seizure of 64 pounds of THC and $49,033 in cash, according to the HCSO.
List of targeted locations
A2Z Tobacco and Vape
333 N Raleigh Street Unit E, Angier, NC
Owner: Omer Faisal Alfaqih
Warrant Served: 08/15/25
Google Streetview: 421 Vapor and Tobacco Express 421 Vapor and Tobacco Express
600 E Cumberland Street, Dunn, NC
Owner: Ammar Qaid Al Mathil
Warrant Served: 08/06/25
Google Streetview: GoodFellas Smoke Shop GoodFellas Smoke Shop
166 N Raleigh Street Unit B, Angier, NC
Owner: Imad Aied Shibli
Warrant Served: 08/14/25
Google Streetview: Up N Smoke Tobacco and Vapor #2 Up N Smoke Tobacco and Vapor #2
12 E Depot Street, Angier, NC
Owner: Hythem Ahmed-Ali Essa
Warrant Served: 08/13/25
Google Streetview: Chill Stop Vape Shop Chill Stop Vape Shop
906 N Clinton Ave, Dunn, NC
Owner: Maged Ahmed Almansoob
Warrant Served: 08/07/25
Google Streetview: ZaZa Happy Smoke ZaZa Happy Smoke
915 S Main Street, Lillington, NC
Owner: Hasan Issa
Warrant Served: 08/19/25
Google Streetview: Olivia Tobacco and Vape Olivia Tobacco and Vape
3819 NC-87, Sanford, NC
Owner: Mohamed Saleh
Warrant Served: 08/20/25
Google Streetview: Tobacco & Vape Plus Tobacco & Vape Plus
6767 Overhills Road, Spring Lake, NC
Owners: Hani Saleh, Rouf Saleh
Warrant Served: 08/22/25
Google Streetview: Lucky Stop Lucky Stop
359 NC-24, Cameron, NC
Owner: Rouf Saleh
Warrant Served: 08/25/25
