Rte. 9 deli busted for selling drug pipes
By Norman Miller/Daily News staff
(Friday, February 09, 2007)

FRAMINGHAM - Police confiscated dozens of marijuana and crack cocaine pipes and other drug paraphernalia from a Rte. 9 deli recently and charged the owner with selling the items.

Ayman Youssef, 42, owner of Vera's Foods at 855 Worcester Road, is scheduled to be arraigned next Thursday in Framingham District Court on one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, police spokesman Lt. Paul Shastany said.

"He's not selling drugs, but he's selling the means to sell, ingest and use those drugs," said Shastany. "We won't allow this."

But, Youssef said, all of the pipes and other items, such as small digital scales, are meant to be used only for tobacco.

"Everything could be used for anything you want," said Youssef. "I'm selling anything that I can to pay the rent, the electricity. It could be used for drugs, it could be used for tobacco. Anything you use, you can abuse it, or use it right, but it's not my responsibility how they're used."

Police had received a complaint the store was selling drug-related items in December. Several officers, including Capt. Paul Bridges and Detective James Green, told Youssef he must stop selling the items, police said.

But, Detective Lt. Kevin Slattery said, Youssef continued to sell the items.

"I had warned the guy on more than one occasion, about three occasions, to get rid of the pipes," said Slattery. "I explained to him the law and that it was illegal to sell the paraphernalia."

Since Youssef continued to sell the items, two officers, Sgt. Scott Brown and Detective Matt Gutwill, bought a glass marijuana pipe from Youssef.

"The officer told the clerk he had a friend who smoked weed and he needed a pipe, and the clerk said, 'Yeah, buddy, no problem,' " Shastany said.

Slattery said, "He demonstrated how to use the pipe to smoke marijuana."

But, Youssef said, he had no idea the items were illegal in Massachusetts because he got all of them from tobacco companies.

"Believe me, if this was illegal, I wouldn't sell it," said Youssef, who said he moved to the U.S. from Egypt in 1992. "I came to the United States to find a dream, and if you find a country that gives you everything you wanted and more, do you think you're going to do something against it to end it for yourself? You're not going to be stupid to go to jail or ruin your reputation."

On Jan. 15, police served a search warrant at the deli, and they found dozens of glass pipes behind the counter, several hidden behind signs for cigarettes, Shastany said.

The officers also found bongs (used to filter smoke through water); grinders used to separate marijuana seeds and stems from the leaves; small digital scales for measuring weights as small as a 1/20th of a gram; and flavored blunt wrappers.

Several of the items had marijuana plant pictures imprinted on them.

"He admitted he was told by Lt. Slattery not to sell them," said Shastany. "He said his rent was very high and he was selling these to supplement his income."

Shastany said officers told Youssef the proceeds from the drug paraphernalia sales would be seized and given to the Treasury Department because he did not charge sales tax on the items.

Youssef said he thinks he is being targeted because Framingham Police believe he is a radical Muslim, even though he said he is a Christian.

Youssef's religion and nationality had nothing to do with the charges, police said.

"I'm sorry he feels that way," said Shastany. "He's selling drug paraphernalia, and that's why we're bringing him in."

Youssef was treated well, Slattery said. Not only was he warned several times, but he was never arrested.

"We could have arrested him right there and then, but it was being more accommodating," said Slattery. "I think he may be taking it personally with me, but I don't know why."

(Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or at nmiller@cnc.com)

 

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