A long-running investigation into unlicensed cannabis sales across Fairfield County culminated in a major bust this week, with Norwalk police seizing nearly 100 pounds of marijuana and over $135,000 in cash from a residential property.
Officers with the Norwalk Police Department’s Special Services Division executed a search warrant at a Glenwood Avenue home that authorities identified as a central storage hub for illicit storefront distribution. Investigators determined the residence was being used as an unlicensed “stash house” to supply unregulated cannabis goods directly to several vape and tobacco retailers operating throughout Norwalk and neighboring Stamford.
Inside the home, detectives uncovered 96.5 pounds of cannabis flower and vape cartridges alongside tens of thousands of dollars in suspected illicit proceeds. Authorities also confiscated unstamped and illegal cigarettes along with counterfeit Connecticut cigarette tax stamps, underscoring what officials described as an organized, evasive commercial operation.
The raid led to the arrest of six individuals: Norwalk residents Saad Almoraisi, Khairalah Almoraisi, Adel Alfallahi, and M’Ahmoud Remye, as well as Mohamed Ali Zaidan of Albany, New York, and Islam Altahami of San Francisco. Each defendant faces multiple felony counts, including operating a drug factory, possession of more than a kilogram of cannabis with intent to sell, conspiracy, and tax stamp violations. Saad Almoraisi faces an elevated bond alongside existing warrants related to prior cannabis sales.
Norwalk Police Chief James Walsh stated that the operation highlights the department’s ongoing campaign against smoke shops operating outside state law, reaffirming that local law enforcement will continue targeting unlicensed vendors and their supply networks to protect public safety and maintain regulatory compliance.
Dabbin-Dad Newsroom
