PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Twelve people are facing charges after a statewide crackdown on THC products sold in stores across Pennsylvania.
Prosecutors said the defendants ran a criminal organization that trafficked marijuana and other products containing high levels of THC by illegally selling them in convenience stores. Investigators traced $18.7 million in illegal proceeds.
“The defendants, in many cases, went from being renters of homes and apartments to owners of giant warehouses and lavish residential properties,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday.
A handful of the defendants laundered millions of dollars in illegal profits, authorities said, using LLC fronts to disguise cash deposits and warehouses to distribute illegal products to convenience stores.
The warehouses were located in Plum Borough, Allegheny County; Pittston, Luzerne County; and Bensalem, Bucks County.
“These warehouses were hubs for distribution to storefronts where the products were sold,” Sunday added, “and those transactions led to consumption by kids and adults alike.”
The bust started with a January 2025 traffic stop in Chester County. The driver was allegedly hauling illegal products to stores.
“That was the tipping point,” Sunday said. “From there, we worked up the chain and found a massively profitable criminal enterprise.”
The defendants are:
- Albina Kumar
- Duttkumar Patel
- Dharmeshkumar Patel
- Madhav Patel
- Nirav Patel
- Palak Patel
- Divyesh Patel
- Ketankumar Patel
- Niravkumar Vora
- Roshniben Patel
- Ankitkumar Patel
- Mitul Patel
All 12 have been arraigned and are facing charges, including corrupt organizations and dealing in proceeds of illegal activity. Many, but not all, are also charged with felony drug trafficking.
One distribution warehouse was based in Bucks County
One distribution warehouse was based in Bucks County
