Several charged after Morris County smoke shop investigation seizes thousands of illegal vape, marijuana products
MORRIS COUNTY, N.J. — Several people have been charged following a multi-agency investigation into smoke shops across Morris County that authorities say were illegally selling marijuana, intoxicating hemp products and flavored vape products without the required licenses.
The investigation, announced Friday by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and multiple local police departments, targeted smoke shops in Boonton, Montville Township, Randolph Township and Roxbury Township as part of the New Jersey Attorney General’s initiative targeting businesses selling illegal flavored vapes, intoxicating hemp products and marijuana.
According to prosecutors, the investigation began in April 2026 and focused on 11 businesses suspected of operating as unlicensed cannabis retailers.
On July 1, investigators executed 11 search warrants at businesses, as well as a residence and a vehicle.
Authorities said investigators seized 17,323 tobacco-flavored vape products, 56,699 THC vape products (about 125.5 pounds), 328 pounds of THC gummies and other edibles, 16.5 pounds of marijuana, approximately 100 canisters of nitrous oxide and $45,265.32 in cash.
Those charged include:
At Vape Waves Smoke Shop in Montville Township, owner Dhafer Ghaleb and employee Ali Alsaydi were each charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled dangerous substances, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, money laundering and offenses related to intoxicating chemicals.
At True Blaze Smoke Shop/Wah Wah 2 Smoke Shop LLC in Boonton, Firas Damra, owner Madhat Abunasser and employee David Grzesiak were charged with conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and money laundering. Damra and Abunasser also were charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, while Grzesiak additionally was charged with offenses involving drug paraphernalia.
At Green Lux Smoke Shop in Roxbury Township, Sandra Porras was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, money laundering and drug paraphernalia offenses.
At a Green Lux Smoke Shop location in Morris Plains, employee Ashley Naranjo Belaczar was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
At Crown Cigar & Smoke in Boonton, owner Srinivasa Koppisetti was charged with conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance, money laundering and offenses involving intoxicating chemicals.
At Heritage Marketplace in Randolph Township, manager Goktan Ozdemir and employee Levent Unal were each charged with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
At MK Mini Mart in Roxbury Township, owner Devinder Singh and employees Amit Pundir and Dinesh Chander were charged with conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance, money laundering and offenses involving intoxicating chemicals and drug paraphernalia.
At Sweet Dreams in Roxbury Township, employee Anthony Castro was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, money laundering and drug paraphernalia offenses.
At M&S Convenience & Cigar in Boonton, owner Mead Almontaser was charged with conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and psilocybin, unlawful possession of controlled dangerous substances, money laundering and offenses involving intoxicating chemicals.
At Stardust Smoke Shop in Randolph Township, part-owners Jigarkumar Patel, Riya Patel and Meet Patel were each charged with conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and psilocybin, unlawful possession of controlled dangerous substances and money laundering.
Search warrants also were executed at Smoke & Deli in Boonton, where authorities issued a written warning for a first offense involving the alleged sale of less than one ounce of marijuana.
The investigation involved the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Special Operations Division, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, Morris County Office of Emergency Management, Morris County Weights & Measures, Morris County Division of Health, local health departments, and police departments in Randolph, Boonton, Montville, Roxbury, Denville and Parsippany-Troy Hills.
Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll said, “I acknowledge and thank all the agencies who participated in this investigation to disrupt and dismantle the illegal sale of marijuana, intoxicating hemp, and illegal flavored vapes from these businesses operating in our communities. The scale of the operation could not have been accomplished without the professional men and women involved, including detectives, assistant prosecutors, and civilians, who worked collaboratively to make this operation a success.”
Montville Police Chief Andrew Caggiano, past president of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, said, “This operation represents months of coordinated work between county and municipal law enforcement, health officials, and prosecutors to address a problem that has been hiding in plain sight in our neighborhoods. Smoke shops that sell unlicensed marijuana, intoxicating hemp products, and illegally flavored vapes are not harmless corner stores — they are unregulated points of sale for products that our laws were specifically designed to control, whether because of their appeal to young people, their lack of any safety testing, or their connection to untaxed and unlicensed markets.”
Collingswood Police Chief Kevin Carey, president of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, said, “The volume of contraband recovered on July 1 — tens of thousands of vape products, hundreds of pounds of edibles and marijuana, and tens of thousands of dollars in cash — makes clear that this was not a handful of isolated infractions. It was a pattern of businesses operating outside the licensing and public health framework that New Jersey has put in place for cannabis and hemp products, and profiting from it. I want to be clear that this is not the end of this work. Police chiefs across New Jersey will keep working with our municipal partners to identify and act on businesses that put profit ahead of the safety of our residents and children.”
The investigation remains ongoing, and prosecutors said additional charges may be filed.
