On Tuesday, undercover agents with the Ohio Investigative Unit raided Express Mart, located at 5925 Heatherdowns Blvd. They filed charges against two employees.
The owner, Leo Sawalha, 43, of Maumee is accused of possessing a gambling device and operating a gambling house. Mohamed Beyrouti, 30, of Toledo, a store clerk was also arrested and is charged with 13 counts each of illegal use of food stamps or WIC benefits and telecommunications fraud.
Investigators say Beyrouti allegedly bought food stamp cards from people for about $20. He used their cards to buy groceries for his personal use at the discounted price and then paid those people half of what their card was worth in cash.
Investigator Julie Hines says, "In other cases, we have seen where they would purchase alcohol or drugs, other items that you wouldn't be able to purchase with a food stamp card."
Agents also filed administrative charges that could yank the store's liquor permit. The OIU agent in charge says, "Food stamp fraud is a crime against tax payers and is not tolerated in Ohio. To add to the fraudulent activity, the permit establishment was participating in illegal gambling, which is an unfair business practice."
The arrests took some people by surprise. "I know a couple of the guys in there," says Brian Booth. "They don't seem like the type of people that would do that."
However, one woman who does not want to release her identity says it's about time. "They need to shut it down, because it is nothing but an eye sore and a menace. These guys know what they're doing, but they never get caught."
Express Mart employees had no comment on the story Friday night.
