Smoke Shop Workers Indicted - Accused of Selling Spice Laced with Fentanyl

PHOENIX – Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced the State Grand Jury indicted Iskandar Hallak and Saif Hallak on 13 felony charges related to selling illegal spice laced with fentanyl at a Tempe smoke shop.

The State Grand Jury indicted Iskandar Hallak and Saif Hallak on the following charges:

  • 3 counts of Sale or Transfer of Dangerous Drugs (spice) for Sale
  • 2 counts of Sale or Transfer of a Narcotic Drug (fentanyl) for Sale
  • 2 counts of Possession of a Dangerous Drug (spice) for Sale
  • 2 counts of Possession of a Narcotic Drug (fentanyl) for Sale
  • 1 count of Manufacture of a Dangerous Drug
  • 1 count of Possession of Chemicals or Equipment to Manufacture a Dangerous Drug
  • 1 count of Illegally Conducting an Enterprise
  • 1 count of Conspiracy

The charges are based on an investigation conducted by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Taskforce which includes law enforcement officers with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

From April 2016 to June 2016, law enforcement officers were called in to investigate a Tempe smoke shop for allegedly selling illegal spice.  Agents and deputies seized over 50 pounds of spice, some of which was being manufactured when the search warrants were executed. Some of the illegal spice tested positive for both spice and the narcotic drug fentanyl.

Assistant Attorney General Nick Saccone is prosecuting this case.

All defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty.

Full copy of the indictment.