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15 Indicted For Drug Trafficking

Feds Say Group Was Smuggling Marijuana

POSTED: Thursday, November 5, 2009
UPDATED: 6:49 pm EST November 6, 2009

Fifteen Michigan residents have been indicted in an international drug trafficking conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Terrence Berg said Thursday.

Those charged are:

  • Hassan Mohammed Abboud, 37, formerly of Sterling Heights, currently residing in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • Ahmad Abboud, 32, of Sterling Heights
  • Rima Abboud, 35, of Sterling Heights
  • Wahab Abboud, 30, of Sterling Heights
  • Yousef Abboud, 28, of Sterling Heights
  • Bilal Abboud, 33, of Sterling Heights
  • Johny Yaldo, 29, of Sterling Heights
  • Mircea Bobic, 36, formerly of Trenton, currently residing in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • Vic Bodnariu, 49, of Madison Heights
  • Viorel Oprea, 51, of River Rouge
  • Petru Vascan, 34, of Sterling Heights
  • Martin Hermiz, 29, of Clinton Township
  • Amir Denkha, 37, of Hazel Park
  • Joseph Hefrey, 29, of Shelby Township
  • Eric Berg, 28, of Detroit

    A federal indictment alleges that the 15 conspired to import more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana into the United States from Canada with the intent to distribute it in metro Detroit and beyond.

    From about 2000 to the present, the indictment states the group smuggled marijuana from the Toronto area into Michigan through St. Joseph Island, Ontario.

    Prosecutors said the group smuggled between 50 and 600 pounds per trip by car, train and boat -- the value of the marijuana of each trip ranged from $300,000 to well over $2 million.

    Also alleged in the indictment, the conspirators attempted to conceal their drug profits by placing homes, cars and businesses in the names of friends or relatives.

    Six of the 15 defendants are charged in the money-laundering conspiracy. Drug profits were sent overseas to Lebanon, for the construction of a substantial residence.

    Federal officials said they have confiscated more than 1,000 pounds of the marijuana and more than $2.5 million in U.S. currency.

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