Deputies Arrest 20 In Franklin County During Project Synergy
The Franklin County Drug Task Force and the Ohio Investigative Unit coordinated together to conduct Project Synergy, a DEA nationwide synthetic narcotics enforcement project.
During the project, a total of five search warrants were conducted at various local convenience stores and residences, targeting the sale of synthetic drugs known as Bath Salts and Spice in Franklin County.
As a result of the search warrants, investigators seized several thousand packages of the illegal drugs, several guns and more than $40,000 in cash.
During the investigation, several undercover purchases of the drugs were conducted, resulting in the issuance of arrest warrants for 20 individuals on multiple charges of trafficking in synthetic drugs.
The following convenience stores were searched:
- Schrock Rd Drive Thru; 1457 Schrock Rd, Columbus Ohio, 43229
- Family Market and Deli; 108 West Park Ave, Columbus Ohio 43222
- Smoke n Shop; 2421 Sullivant Ave, Columbus Ohio 43204
The following residences were searched:
- Imad Alshaibani; 3035 Hamilton Ave. Columbus, Ohio
- Mohammed Shalash; 2351 Smokehill Dr., Columbus Ohio 43228
The following people were arrested during the project:
- Shahid Akhtar, 50, of Columbus
- Nasr Alheisah, 38, of Columbus
- Ziyad Ali, 26, of Columbus
- Mahmoud Arman, 37, of Reynoldsburg
- Fady Shalash, 27, of Columbus
- Dineth Ranatunga, 24, of Columbus
- Ramesh Vardha, 52, of Columbus
- Hafid Arfaoui, 40, of Columbus
- Fadi Qadadeh, 32, of Columbus
- Mustafa Hamed, 38, of Columbus
- Abdelaziz Moussa, 37, of Hilliard
- Imad Alshaibani, 43, of Columbus
- Hamza Shalash, 29, of Worthington
- Bajis Mohammed, 20, of Hilliard
- Mohammed Shalash, 46, of Columbus
- Regence Holland, 34, of Whitehall
- Imad Al-Ghaith, 39, of Columbus
- Mohamed Zerrei, of Columbus
- Tareq Fares, 31, of Columbus
- Khaleel Ishtayeh, 44, of Columbus