Alcohol Law Enforcement officers arrested Ahmed Almotaser, 42, and Mohammed Ahmed, 45.[1] The investigation brought charges against store owner Ahmed Almontaser, 42, and his business partner Mohammed Ahmed, 45, both from Clayton.[1] Four of five men named in marijuana-conspiracy charges had already been arrested.[2] Yaser Abduljalil Mohammed Al Wesabi, Saleh Ali Saleh Hasan and Thabet Alahmedi were also named as conspirators.[2] Al Wesabi and Hasan were also arrested, while Alahmedi had not been arrested when that account was published.[2] Two employees who were in control of the shops when they were searched were issued criminal summonses.[2] Court records show both men have bonded out of jail.[1] Almontaser, Ahmed and Al Wesabi were released on total bonds of $155,000, $120,000 and $20,000.[2]
Search warrants say six minors were sick for days after taking illegal THC gummies.[1] The minors bought the gummies in December at Prime Vape Shop on Highway 42 in Johnston County.[1] Alcohol Law Enforcement received the complaint on 10 December 2025.[2] An undercover purchase at Prime Vape tested at 0.37% THC in the gummies and 19% THC in the flower, both above the 0.3% legal limit.[1] Undercover agents also tried to buy the flower at Clayton Tobacco Shop on US-70, another store Almontaser owns.[1] Flower from that shop also tested above the legal limit.[1] Two of those flower products measured 11.78% THC and 14.55% THC.[2] A clerk told an undercover agent the flower would test legal when they get it, but is not legal when you smoke it.[1]
Agents with the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement Division executed search warrants at five locations in Johnston County.[3] One address was Prime Vape & Tobacco, 5533 N.C. Highway 42 West, Unit A-18, Garner.[3] Another was Clayton Tobacco Shop, 11514 U.S. 70 Business (Clayton Boulevard), Clayton.[3] Agents seized more than 17 grams of loose marijuana from the Clayton store, among other items.[1] Searches of properties owned by Almontaser and Ahmed also took other substances, cash and guns.[1] The searches also found over 3,400 grams of cathinone, known as khat, which is not cannabis and is not counted here.[2] The conspiracy charges include a school-zone count because Clayton Tobacco Shop is within 1,000 feet of Clayton High School.[2]
Almontaser faces 32 charges total and Ahmed faces 19 drug-related charges.[1] A court-records account lists 28 felony charges and 7 misdemeanor charges against Almontaser.[2] A representative for Ahmed denies any wrongdoing.[1] Both men were expected back in court on Thursday, March 5, at 9 a.m.[1]
