News Releases
“OPERATION METH MERCHANT” UNSEALED: 49 INDIVIDUALS & 16 CORPORATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH CONVENIENCE STORES INDICTED FOR SUPPLYING INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING METH
June 03, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
David E. Nahmias, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia; Vernon Keenan, Director, Georgia Bureau of Investigation; Sherri Strange, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration; James D. Vickery, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and law enforcement authorities from other federal, state and local agencies announce that “Operation Meth Merchant” has resulted in 24 indictments of 49 individuals and 16 corporations associated with convenience stores in Northwest Georgia. The defendants are charged with selling ephedrine and/or pseudoephedrine and/or other products and materials, knowing or having reason to know that the buyer’s intended purpose for the product was to manufacture methamphetamine. Along with today’s arrests of the defendants, law enforcement officers are executing 25 federal search warrants at stores and a residence associated with the alleged crimes. According to Nahmias and the indictments and search warrant affidavits in this case:
The defendants charged are:
TONYA LAYMAN, 32, of Trenton, Georgia, and JUDY HIGDON, age unknown, of Trenton, Georgia, employees/associates of Hartline’s Grocery and Hartline’s Deli, 3064 Highway 301, Trenton, Dade County, Georgia;
JIGNESHKUMAR B. PATEL, 27, of Tifton, Georgia, and SATU, Inc., d/b/a TOBACCO OUTLET, 1109 North Main Street, Lafayette, Walker County, Georgia;
BALVEDBHAI PATEL, 41, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, REKHA REMESH, 47, of Nashville, Tennessee, and PBR, Inc, d/b/a FAMOUS MARKET AND TOBACCO STORE, 3721 Chattanooga Valley Road, Flintstone, Walker County, Georgia;
PRADIPKUMAR V. PATEL, age unknown, of Rossville, Georgia, GOVINBHAI PATEL, 72, of Rossville, Georgia,
JAYSHREE PATEL, 50, of Rossville, Georgia, and G&P GAS Co., Inc., d/b/a JIFFY MART, 1250 Mission Ridge Road, Rossville, Walker County, Georgia;
BALDWINDER PARMAR, 47, of Marietta, Georgia, JAGWINDER KAUR, 47, of Calhoun, Georgia, PRABHJEET SINGH, age and address unknown, and 41 MARKET, Inc., d/b/a 41 FOOD MART, 4501 South Dixie Road, SE, Resaca, Whitfield County, Georgia;
PRAHLADBHAI H. PATEL, 47, of Dalton, Georgia, and KARUNA NIDHI, Inc., d/b/a MYRA'S GROCERY AND TOBACCO, 2290 Waring Road, NW, Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia;
HARSHADKUM PATEL, 26, of Shelbyville, Tennessee, RAMESHBHAI PATEL, 54, of Dalton, Georgia, and SHREE DURGA, Inc., d/b/a VARNELL MARKET AND TOBACCO, 300 West Main Street, Varnell, Whitfield County, Georgia;
KAREN FLARITY, 48, of Mentone, Georgia, SHANTILAL PATEL, 50, of Carrollton, Georgia, NIKESH PATEL, 32, of Marietta, Georgia, and PARUL PATEL, 29, of Cloudland, Georgia, associates/employees of BJ's Food Mart, 12510 Highway 48, Cloudland, Chattooga County, Georgia;
BHARATKUMAR PATEL, 52, of Riverdale, Georgia, and NILIMABEN BHART K. PATEL, 45, address unknown, employees/associates of Pop’s Country Store, 6465 Highway 48, Menlo, Chattooga County, Georgia;
MANGESH PATEL, 55, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, FALGUN PATEL, 28, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and ANERI Corp., d/b/a TOBACCO AND BEVERAGE MART, 12062 South Main Street, Trenton, Dade County, Georgia;
VAJRASREE KAMARAJUQDDA, 45, of Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia, an employee/associate of Rossville Smoke Shop, 512 Chickamauga Avenue, Rossville, Walker County, Georgia;
SAMEENA FATHIMA, 36, of Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia, ASHRAF BAIG, 45, of Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia, MOHAMMED AHMED, 49, of Ringgold, Georgia, and NISHA BUSINESS, Inc., d/b/a A&W MINI MART, 141 Highway 41, Ringgold, Catoosa County, Georgia;
MALVIKA CHIRAQ PATEL, 38, of Cleveland, Tennessee, MATTHEW SAMUEL, 23, of Chattanooga, Georgia, and SAISHREE, Inc., d/b/a TOBACCO FOR LESS, 1840 Lafayette Road, Catoosa County, Georgia;
MITESH LAXMANBHAI PATEL, 27, of Ringgold, Georgia, and LAXENMANBHAI PATEL, 55, of Rossville, Georgia, employees/associates of Ross Thriftway, 1119 Lafayette Road, Walker County, Georgia;
VIPUL RAMANBHAI PATEL, 27, of Rising Fawn, Georgia, and SHAKTHI, Inc., d/b/a SUE'S MARKET, 3209 Highway 11 South, Rising Fawn, Dade County, Georgia;
SIDHHARATH PATEL, age and address unknown, SUDHIRKUMAR N. PATEL 45, of Dalton, Georgia, and KASHIBA, Inc., d/b/a DEEP SPRINGS GROCERY/ SUPERETTE, 1610 Beaverdale Road, NE, Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia;
NILESH RAMANBHAI PATEL, 23, of Silver Creek, Georgia, an employee/associate of Silver Creek Mini Mart, 5729 Rockmart Road, SE, Silver Creek, Floyd County, Georgia;
PRAVINKUMAR H. PATEL, age and address unknown, and BABUBEN, Inc., d/b/a, COASTAL FOOD MART, 1701 Turner McCall Boulevard, Rome, Floyd County, Georgia;
RUPESH PATEL, 31, of Rome, Georgia, KUMSUMBEN PATEL, 23, of Summerville, Georgia, PAT ALLEN, age unknown, of Gaylesville, Georgia, ASHLEY KNIGHT, 19, of Menlo, Georgia, a/k/a “Ashley Brannon,” and DIPESH, Inc., d/b/a MOM & POP's STORE, 10898 Highway 114, Lyerly, Chattooga County, Georgia;
HASMUKH THANKI, 49, of Rossville, Georgia, and GITA HASMUKH THANKI, 42, of Ringgold, Georgia, employees/associates of Quick Stop/Lakeview Superette, 805 Lakeview Drive, Rossville, Catoosa County, Georgia;
SATISHKUMAR PATEL, 27, of Cochran, Georgia, VISAL PATEL, 22, of Dalton, Georgia, and JAI GOPAL, Inc., d/b/a CREEKSIDE GROCERY, 4100 Tibbs Bridge Road, Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia;
GHANSHYAMBHAI PATEL, 23, of Dalton, Georgia, DAKSHA JANI, 32, of Dalton, Georgia, and BDGK, Inc., d/b/a TIBBS ROAD CONVENIENCE STORE, 813 North Tibbs Road, Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia;
KAMLESH PATEL, 35, of Summerville, Georgia, VIPUL PATEL, age unknown, of Calhoun, Georgia, and HELLY, Inc., d/b/a REESE'S MINI MART, 1360 Highway 48, Summerville, Chattooga County, Georgia;
ALPESH PATEL, 29, of Rossville, Georgia, and ASHABEN PATEL, 23, of Rossville, Georgia, employees/associates of AP Handy Shop, 1800 Lafayette Road, Ft. Oglethorpe, Catoosa County, Georgia.
According to the indictments returned by a federal grand jury on May 7, 2005, and unsealed today, along with the search warrant affidavit, “Operation Meth Merchant” began in early 2004. This investigation focused on convenience stores in six Georgia counties (Catoosa, Chattooga, Floyd, Whitfield, Walker, and Dade) based on complaints received from the public through local law enforcement.
Law enforcement had cooperating witnesses go into each of the stores listed above and purchase ingredients used to manufacture methamphetamine after telling the clerk and/or the owner of the store that the items, including pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, Coleman fuel, “Heet” antifreeze and matchbooks, were being purchased to make meth.
As described in the search warrant affidavit, the "ephedrine reduction" method of manufacturing methamphetamine requires ephedrine and/or pseudoephedrine, along with red phosphorous, iodine crystals and other chemicals and solvents.
Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are commonly found in over-the- counter cold and sinus products, such as Sudafed, Tylenol Cold and Sinus, and many other brand name and generic cold and sinus products. Max Brand Pseudo 60's, Ephedrine Plus and similar brand name and generic ephedrine/pseudoephedrine products are sold as over-the-counter products supposedly for the treatment of asthma in convenience stores, truck stops and gas stations.
Ephedrine or pseudoephedrine may be extracted from these products by using a common household solvent, such as Heet, which contains methanol; Heet is legitimately used as a gas line antifreeze product for gasoline engines. Red phosphorous may be extracted from the striker plates affixed to matchbooks by removing the striker plates and then soaking them in alcohol or another similar solvent to soften the red phosphorous for removal and collection. A large quantity of matchbooks is necessary to produce a quantity of red phosphorous necessary for the meth manufacturing process. Coleman fuel is a commercial "camping fuel" which is utilized in lanterns and cook stoves but is commonly used as a solvent in the methamphetamine manufacturing process.
Businesses involved in the distribution of common chemicals and other ingredients utilized in the manufacture of methamphetamine often inflate the price of those products, and often stock and sell unusual quantities of these products, thereby generating considerable profit for themselves. At a news conference today in Dalton, United States Attorney David Nahmias and other law enforcement officials explained that because of the increase of methamphetamine manufacturing in Eastern Tennessee, northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama, a "gray market" has developed, that is, businesses that can legitimately distribute products which also may be used to manufacture meth have begun catering to meth manufacturers by supplying greater than normal use quantities of the needed materials at inflated prices.
Beginning this morning when the stores opened for business, over 200 law enforcement agents executed arrest and search warrants at each of the stores named above, as well as a residence of business owner defendants. Initial appearances and arraignments for the defendants will be held before a United States Magistrate in Rome on Monday, June 6, 2005. In connection with the indictments, the United States is seeking forfeiture of all funds traceable to the alleged crimes, the defendants’ interests in corporations and businesses involved in the offenses, and real estate where several of the stores are located.
At the news conference announcing the indictments and arrests, United States Attorney David Nahmias said, “Methamphetamine is an extremely addictive and dangerous drug that is poisoning our communities and impacting all of our lives. Its manufacture poses an additional, serious threat to people in the area of the cook, especially children, and creates dangerous and expensive environmental hazards. Unfortunately, some businesses see big profits in knowingly selling products to make meth. These businesses and their owners and employees need to understand that they are feeding the meth epidemic. They need to understand - and today’s arrests demonstrate - that if people sell products knowing or having reason to believe that the products will be used to make meth, they will face federal prosecution, lengthy prison sentences, and forfeiture of their businesses and other assets.”
GBI Director Vernon Keenan said, “For the past several years, the GBI has devoted the majority of its drug enforcement resources to combating Georgia's methamphetamine epidemic. I hope that today's operation sends a message to anyone involved or associated with this drug that we, as law enforcement, will not tolerate their actions, whether they are making methamphetamine, selling methamphetamine, or supplying the ingredients necessary to make this very destructive drug." DEA Special Agent In Charge Sherri Strange said, “DEA and its law enforcement partners will continue to be vigilant in our efforts to stop methamphetamine trafficking and manufacturing in Georgia and will take every opportunity to continue to bring to light the problems associated with meth abuse. While DEA has made record seizures of methamphetamine destined for distribution in and around Georgia, we cannot overemphasize the inherent dangers associated with the manufacturing of meth. Along with our law enforcement partners, DEA will continue to aggressively attack the meth problem on all fronts.”
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government's burden to prove the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, detectives of the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office; and Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Also assisting in the investigation are: Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office; Dade County Sheriff’s Office; Dalton Police Department; Department of Homeland Security, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); Federal Bureau of Investigation; Floyd County Police Department; Georgia Department of Corrections; Georgia Department of Family and Children Services; Georgia State Patrol; Lafayette Police Department; Murray County Sheriff’s Office; Rome/Floyd County Drug Task Force; Rome Police Department; Summerville Police Department; Trenton Police Department; United States Marshal’s Service; Walker County Sheriff’s Office, and the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa W. Tarvin and Jenny R. Turner are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact David E. Nahmias, United States Attorney or William H. Thomas, Jr., Chief, Narcotics and OCDETF, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney's Office, at (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan.