Fifteen people have been arrested for allegedly selling synthetic drugsand paraphernalia in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware through a business named J&L WholesaleDistributors, Inc. following a yearlong string investigation, accordingto a release from the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.Kenneth Grossman was allegedly the proprietor of J&L Wholesale Distributors, Inc.Investigators said narcotics task forces from Montgomery and Lehigh counties began to target synthetic drugs in separate efforts beginning around Sept. 2011, a month after they became illegal in the state of Pennsylvania Undercover officers bought synthetic marijuana and drug paraphernalia from multiple gas stations and convenience stores and followed up by executing search warrants on them.J&L is in a Drug-Free School Zone, around the corner from a daycare.After speaking with store owners and reviewing evidence, the investigators said they uncovered a common thread in numerous investigations: the drugs and paraphernalia werecoming from the same business, J&L Wholesale Distributors,Inc., in Allentown.Officials set up a business front and credit card account for the sole purpose of buying the illegal substances from J&L/. Undercover detectives in Montgomery County allegedly bought various quantities of the stuff over the course of several months from both J&L and its subsidiary, Insense Specailties.Along with Kenneth Grossman, Jason Grossman was allegedly a partner at Insense Specailties. Rajwant Thind was also a partner at Insense Specailties, as well asowner and operator of the Trexler Plaza Sunoco in Allentown, one business that allegedly sold the stuff.Authorities say Malwinder Mangat was the fourth partner at Insense Specailties.Detectives from the District Attorneys' Offices in Montgomery and Lehigh counties jointly executed search warrants on J&L, its associates and its subsidiary on July 25, seizing packets of suspected synthetic pot.Some of the packets were branded "Bob Marley."They further seized two tractor trailers full of paraphernalia, including thousands of pipes, bongs, grinders, digital scales, plastic baggies, pipe cleaners and screens.Seized bongs.More bongs.Glass pipes.Also taken were hundreds of hidden compartment containers, boxes of rolling papers, boxes of Ephedrine and boxes of synthetic urine, plus numerous synthetic urine dispensers and detox capsules and liquid.Stash containers with hidden compartments designed to look like cans of energy drinks and wall clocks.Stash containers with hidden compartments made to look like mini kegs of Heineken.A stash container fashioned to look like a bottle of WD-40 with a hidden compartment.Boxes of Ephedrine.According to investigators, they found about 20 bank accounts and safety deposit boxes in the names of J&L, its subsidiaries and "key members" of the trafficking ring. After detectives executed search warrants on those accounts, they froze and seized $901,725.88 in suspected proceeds from the illegal activity.One cash stash, hidden beneath floorboards.The following proprietors were also arrested for allegedly selling paraphernalia, synthetic marijuana, bath salts or some combination thereof:Jaymin Patel, owner and operator of The Deli Mart in South Whitehall Township.Kunal Patel, owner and operator of The Deli Mart in South Whitehall Township.Yasvant Patel, owner and operator of The EZ Shoppe in Upper Perkiomen.Yosesh Patel, owner and operator of The EZ Shoppe in Upper Perkiomen.Ibrahim Saloum, owner and operator of The Main Street Market inSchwenksville.Amy Nicole Velasquez, owner and operator of The Main Street Market in Schwenksville.Mohammad Rahman, owner and operator of U.S. Gas in Upper Frederick Township.Also arrested in connection with the ring were: Lisa Zupa.Jason Roberson.Dean Fenstermaker.Abdulah Soonasra.The suspects were arraigned this afternoon and will be prosecuted by the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.
