The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Source:
Tuesday, January 01, 2019 03:06 PM
KCSO Raids Business For Illegal Use Of EBT Cards, Shoplifting and Receiving Stolen Goods
According to a release from KCSO, officers executed a warrant at Al's Market and Deli at 1006 University Avenue on Wednesday afternoon.
The owner, Mohammed Jalal Issa and Rashad Srour were arrested.
Officials said the incident today is part of an investigation and that information from an undercover KCSO officer revealed that the suspects had encouraged people to use their EBT cards to buy items that Issa and Srour wanted from places such as Kroger. The two would then sell those items and gave cash to the people who used their EBT cards.
Investigators said that the two suspects would also place orders of certain items from certain stores for shoplifters to bring back to the market and sell again. They then gave cash to the shoplifters.
Issa and Srour were charged with felony theft, computer crimes and food stamp fraud.
Officials seized a variety of stolen goods, two guns, $2,000 in cash and a vehicle, and representatives with the Tennessee Lottery arrived to remove scratch cards from the store.
The Knox County Health Department shut down Al's Market and Deli until further notice.
