A Chattanooga convenience store owner was arrested after police alleged he was running a gambling room and drug distribution operation out of the store and committing electronic benefit transfer and lottery fraud.
Mohamed Saleh, 47, faces 12 charges, including possession of a firearm during a felony, aggravated gambling promotion, violation of drug-free school zoning and four charges of drugs for resale.
Saleh was arrested Friday while Chattanooga Housing Authority investigators and Chattanooga police were executing two narcotics search warrants on One Stop Shop, a convenience store in the Westside. The search resulted from a drug sales investigation, according to the affidavit. When he was arrested, Saleh allegedly told an officer that he had a loaded gun on him, which the officer retrieved.
Police searched the store and the neighboring gambling room, which was operating out of West Side Fish & Chicken, as well as vehicles in the surrounding area. In Saleh’s vehicle and the register area of the store, officers found another loaded gun, cash, Percocet, white pills, a blue pill that appeared to be fentanyl and EBT cards for different people, the affidavit said.
EBT is a system for delivering food assistance and other benefits to Tennesseans who qualify, according to the state.
Police arrested four people that they encountered in the gambling room and six others in the store or between the store and the gambling room. Several of those arrested were found to be carrying marijuana, and a large amount of marijuana was found near the register for One Stop Shop, the affidavit said.
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A digital scale and baggies were found in the gambling room, and scales, baggies, a rolling tray, glass pipes and razor blades were found in the One Stop Shop. Police determined those findings indicated a narcotics distribution operation, the affidavit said. Police also found two 100-count boxes of ammunition in the convenience store, amphetamine pills and .28 ounces of suspected fentanyl.
There was also cash wrapped with a receipt and labeled “lottery,” the affidavit said.
The charges Saleh faces do not include charges for lottery fraud or EBT fraud, but the affidavit said all evidence of EBT fraud and lottery fraud would be sent to the proper authorities.
Saleh had not been licensed to accept EBT since 2019, but there were multiple EBT cards for other people in his possession.
The store is within 500 feet of Newton Child Development Center and Chattanooga Head Start, leading to a charge for violating the Tennessee code on drug-free school zones, the affidavit said.
The drugs seized from One Stop Shop and Saleh included 2.44 pounds of marijuana, 7.9 grams of powdered fentanyl, six amphetamine pills, two Percocet pills and three suspected fentanyl pills, according to the affidavit.
Police seized seven gambling machines, according to the affidavit, and found ledgers that had card and PIN numbers listed for individuals who appeared to owe Saleh money.
Police determined that Saleh was the owner and operator of One Stop Shop. In 2012, when Saleh opened One Stop Shop, the neighborhood was thrilled, according to previous Chattanooga Times Free Press reporting. At the time, there was no store nearby that sold groceries.
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In 2014, Saleh sold the store to his brother-in-law, and the Chattanooga Beer Board declined to reissue a beer license. At the time, police said the store had become a hot spot for illegal activity and drug sales, and board members seemed to blame Saleh.
Saleh faces four counts of drugs for resale, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, possessing a firearm with intent to go armed, possession of firearm during a felony, drug free school zone, aggravated gambling promotion, possession of gambling device or record, gambling and criminal conspiracy. He is set to appear in court Friday.
Contact breaking news reporter Kailee Shores at kshores@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6659.