By Melanie Lekocevic
Capital Region Independent Media
RAVENA — Two Albany men have been arrested and charged with the illegal sale of cannabis products to minors in Ravena.
The men are accused of selling the products to underaged customers at the Piff N Puff Smoke Shop, 2381 Route 9W, Ravena, state police said in a statement Friday.
State police out of the Latham barracks opened an investigation in February after a 15-year-old girl, who has not been identified, allegedly became ill after smoking a marijuana cigarette she and another teen purchased at the shop, according to police.
“Further investigation determined that Dawood Almawri, 33, of Albany, had sold the marijuana cigarette to the teens while working as a clerk at the store,” police said.
On May 18, state police executed a search warrant at the shop and found about 10 pounds of assorted concentrated cannabis products and multiple bags containing roughly 172 grams of marijuana, according to police.
Almawri does not have a license to sell cannabis in New York state, police said.
He was charged with first-degree criminal possession of cannabis, a class D felony; first-degree unlawful dealing with a child, a class A misdemeanor; and third-degree criminal sale of cannabis, a class A misdemeanor.
Almawri was issued an appearance ticket for Coeymans Town Court.
On June 2, the store’s owner, Mohamed Nagi, 22, also of Albany, was arrested at his home. He has been charged with first-degree criminal possession of cannabis, a class D felony.
Nagi was arraigned in Coeymans Town Court and released on his own recognizance. He has a return court date of June 16.
