Salleh Dubaishi, 40, of Buffalo, NY, is behind bars after being caught with over 500 packages of synthetic marijuana just steps from Public School 45. The arrest, announced today by Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr., slams Dubaishi with federal charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and doing so within 1,000 feet of a school zone — a detail that ratchets up the stakes and the sentence.
The bust went down on November 17, 2015, during what started as a routine inspection. Agents from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance raided Pyramid Express HSD, a corner convenience store nestled near the elementary school. What they found wasn’t just tax violations — it was a stash of mind-altering drugs masquerading as candy. Packages labeled “Strawberry Scooby Snax,” “Hypnotic,” and “Insane” flooded the shelves, each packed with synthetic marijuana, a dangerous and often unpredictable high.
Dubaishi, listed as the man behind the operation, now faces a minimum of one year in federal prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $2,000,000 fine if convicted. The charges hammer home the federal government’s zero-tolerance stance on pushing drugs — especially near places where kids learn, play, and walk every day. Prosecutors, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan T. Cullinane, are treating this as more than a drug bust — it’s a direct threat to community safety.
The investigation was a joint operation between Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations — under Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero — and the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, directed by Commissioner Thomas Mattox. What began as a tax audit quickly unraveled into a major narcotics case, exposing how drug dealers exploit retail fronts to move poison disguised as novelty products.
Dubaishi made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr., where conditions were set for his release. But don’t mistake freedom for innocence — the wheels of justice are just beginning to turn. The criminal complaint paints a damning picture, but the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
This case shines a light on the underground market for synthetic drugs, which continue to plague urban neighborhoods and evade traditional drug laws. With names like “Insane” on the packaging, there’s no pretending these products are harmless. Authorities warn parents to stay vigilant — because sometimes the danger doesn’t come from a dark alley, but from a store shelf near a schoolyard.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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