Oneida business owner charged with selling untaxed cigarettes
On April 5, 2023, members of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit and Criminal Investigations Division executed numerous search warrants following a lengthy investigation into the sale of untaxed cigarettes and marijuana occurring at the A-One Smoke Shop, located at 508 Lenox Ave., Oneida.
The search warrants yielded 11,800 untaxed cigarettes, 5.8 pounds of leaf marijuana, 7.3 ounces of concentrated cannabis, stun guns, 2,100 flavored THC and nicotine vape products and a quantity of U.S. currency. Following the execution of the search warrants, store proprietor Malek Ahmed, 31, of Oneida, was charged with willful possession of more than 10,000 unstamped cigarettes and second-degree criminal possession of cannabis, both class E felonies; and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and third-degree criminal possession of cannabis, both class A misdemeanors.
Ahmed was processed and was transported to the Madison County Jail for arraignment in CAP Court. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in the investigation by the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and the Madison County Office of Public Health.