Abbas AlSaidi, Yemeni Store Owner, Charged with Marijuana Possession following grow house raid

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — On December 3rd, 2014, New Rochelle police executed Operation City Sweeper II, a citywide series of arrests for drug dealing, primarily heroin and crack cocaine. Among those arrested in New Rochelle during this operation were Joseph Sayegh of 139 Emerson Avenue, Crystal Scott of 384 North Avenue, Eric Landrine of 75 Brook Street, and George Pulliam of 19 Washington Avenue. Sayegh and Scott were charge with possession and sale of marijuana. Landrine and Pulliam were charged with multiple counts of criminal possession and criminal sale of a controlled substance.

Sayegh has been on the Talk of The Sound radar since 2012. After his arrest, Talk of the Sound detailed a long history of problems with Sayegh, his stores, his property and his work colleagues as part of a hypothesis that about 40 people account for 90% of the serious/violent crime in New Rochelle – most, if not all of whom, are known to New Rochelle police and, often, to each other. These people operate out of or live in about a dozen locations, many of which include properties owned by the New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority.

As part of our reporting on Sayegh, Talk of the Sound attempted a “sting operation” related to SNAP Benefit Trafficking, converting food stamps to cash. The plan was to observe a willing SNAP benefit recipient as he went into Sayegh’s store and obtained cash for funds deducted from a SNAP benefit card. The K-Stop is located at 374 North Avenue, for years a store location known as Goffman’s Deli. After days of preparation the sting fell through when Sayegh failed to appear in his store that day. From this effort, however, Talk of the Sound did learn of illegal activity at a store nearby.

On December 8th, 2014 New Rochelle police raided a store just down the street at 384 North Avenue in New Rochelle, New York. Police acted based on reporting by Talk of the Sound that the basement of the store was being used as a marijuana grow house. The convenience store, which had yet to open, was in a retail space leased by Abbas Alsaidi.

Alsaidi is the owner of the New Roc Mini Mart located at 149 North Avenue and well-known to police and building inspectors for his repeated arrests and building code violations.

On December 18, 2013, several police officers accompanied by members of the New Rochelle Quality of Life Task Force compromised of members of the New Rochelle Police Department, the New Rochelle Police Department and the New Rochelle Building Bureau inspected the New Roc Mini Mart located at 149 North Ave in New Rochelle, New York.

Officers observed, in plain view, numerous boxes of cigars, cigar wraps and electronic cigarettes, on a shelf behind the sales counter. Police asked Abbas Alsaidi, owner of the New Roc Mini Mart, if he possessed a license to sell tobacco products. He admitted he did not. Abbas was then asked if there were any other tobacco products or contraband within the establishment. Abbas said “no” and granted police permission to inspect the premises.

While police were inspecting the premised a customer entered the premise and attempted to purchase a pack of cigarettes. When police asked AlSaidi if he sold cigarettes, AlSaidi failed to respond.

Behind the sales counter, police found numerous cartons and loose packages of cigarettes including a large quantity of cigarettes hidden behind in a secret compartment at the sales counter.

Abbas was arrested and charged with violating Tax law sections: 1814 A1 (Evading Cigarette Tax 10,000 Cigarettes or More), 1814 B (Possess, Transport or Sell Unstamped Cigarettes PreviousConviction), and 1814 B (Possess, Transport or Sell Unstamped Cigarettes), according to police records.

Police confiscated 610 packages of assorted cigarettes (Over 12,000 cigarettes), none of which possessed a New York State tax stamp, 112 assorted cigar wraps, 232 assorted cigars, 52 “Hookah” electronic cigarettes and a black bag that contained assorted tobacco products.

On November 13, 2014, AlSaidi was arrested again and charged with violating Tax law sections: 1814 A1 (Evading Cigarette Tax 10,000 Cigarettes or More). Also arrested was Kodher Dadsi of the Bronx, a clerk at the New Roc Mini Mart.

December 3rd, 2014 was the day of the raids in Operation City Sweeper II. Sources told Talk of the Sound that Alsaidi got an international flight for the Middle East just days before the arrests and remained out of the country for over a month.

Just five days later, on December 8th, 2014, marijuana plants and drug/narcotic equipment at Alsaid’s store was seized by New Rochelle police.

Several weeks later, Talk of the Sound was able to connect Abbas Alsaidi to a notorious counter-terrorism case based in Miami, Florida. The so-called Liberty City Seven case was a plot by a handful of individuals, led by a deluded, down on the luck street hustler, to blow up the Sears Tower in Chicago (because without the antennas on the top of the tower the government could not communicate), overthrow the U.S. government using bows and arrows while riding on horseback, and set up a Mulsim homeland of 10,000 people in America. The case was widely seen as an effort by Alsaidi to entrap the men and “sell” the information to the FBI.

Talk of the Sound also connected Alsaidi, directly and indirectly, to a shooting, a stabbing and a possible arson fire at 52 Drake Avenue where he had been planning to open another convenience store. Sources tell Talk of the Sound, there was equipment in the basement at 52 Drake similar to what was found in the marijuana grow house at 384 North Avenue.

On January 18th, 2015 Building Inspectors shut down the New Roc Mini Mart for over a dozen building code violations including Failure to maintain boiler/heating system, failure to maintain heat, electrical system hazards, temporary wiring behind display counter, improperly installed low voltage wiring, plumbing system hazards (improperly installed sink), improperly installed exhaust hood, no fire suppression system installed, interior surfaces in disrepair (ceiling tiles, interior finishes, broken tiles), illegally built office, illegally bunt fun bathroom in basement, sump pump illegally connected to sewer line, unsanitary conditions in basement and rear of store (cat feces), litter and debris throughout interior, blocked emergency egress in rear, window signage exceeding allowed percentage.

A red “Unsafe Building” notice was taped to the door of the store. Kodher Dadsi, the clerk, was warned that anyone caught inside the store would be arrested. Later that night Dadsi entered the store, was discovered by police, and escorted out of the building. He was not arrested.

On January 19th AlSaidi pulled up in a yellow taxi, straight from JFK Airport, after a flight from the Middle East (Yemen, via Bahrain).

AlSaidi cavalierly ripped the red “Unsafe Building” notice off the front door, unlocked the door, turned on the lights and went back into business as if nothing had happened. Neighboring business owners were shocked, several called Talk of the Sound and others called the New Rochelle police. Within minutes New Rochelle Police and Building Bureau officials were on the scene.

AlSaidi was ordered to tape the sign back up and leave the premises.

After he taped up the sign and locked the door, AlSaidi was arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of Marijuana based on the December 8th raid of 384 North Avenue. Police reports also show that Drug/Narcotic equipment including a Filter Tube and CO2 tank was also confiscated.

AlSaidi was released on $250 bail.

The New Roc Mini Mart remains closed.

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