latest news »
eagletribune.com, north andover, ma
latest news »
eagletribune.com, north andover, ma

Updated May 8, 2014 6 13 am

  • 400 homes, businesses in area of Haverhill fire lose power Posted May 7, 2014 6 29 pm
  • Old Ballardvale fire station gets new lease on life Posted May 7, 2014 2 29 pm
  • HAVERHILL The woman who jumped from the second floor of the burning Forest Acres apartm …”>BREAKING UPDATE Injuries to woman who jumped from burning Haverhill building are non life threatening, police say Posted May 7, 2014 5 00 pm 2 Photos
  • HAVERHILL A woman with a child in her arms jumped from the second floor of the burning …”>BREAKING UPDATE Woman carrying child jumps from burning Haverhill apartment building Posted May 7, 2014 3 38 pm 2 Photos
  • HAVERHILL All tenants of the Forest Acres apartment building that is burning managed to …”>BREAKING UPDATE Haverhill fire victims talk of escape from burning building Updated May 7, 2014 3 00 pm 2 Photos
  • HAVERHILL Firefighters from several area communities are responding to the three alarm …”>BREAKING UPDATE 3 alarm Haverhill fire draws firefighters from throughout the region Updated May 7, 2014 2 06 pm 1 Photo
  • Casino proposal nearly dead in N.H. House Posted May 7, 2014 11 38 am
  • PEABODY Inside the apartment at 112 Margin St., there was marijuana literally hanging from a …”>Police raid two Peabody homes, seize 499 pot plants, guns Posted May 7, 2014 8 58 am 1 Photo
  • Prosecutor Trooper uncooperative in ER after arrest Updated May 7, 2014 12 58 am 3 Photos
  • LAWRENCE The voice from the City Council sounded overpowering last night bring back the res …”>Residency revival wrecked Updated May 7, 2014 1 16 am
  • City man to be tried on child porn charges Posted May 7, 2014 12 05 am
  • Judge calls stepfather a ‘danger’ Updated May 7, 2014 1 30 am 1 Photo
  • Town closes salvage yard Posted May 7, 2014 12 05 am 1 Photo
  • Information technology privatization unanimously OK’d Posted May 7, 2014 12 05 am
  • Former Timberlane teacher seeks release from prison Posted May 7, 2014 12 05 am 1 Photo
  • Schools swap hats to help veterans Posted May 7, 2014 12 05 am 3 Photos
  • Newton cyclist flown to Boston hospital Posted May 7, 2014 12 05 am
  • BOSTON The family of a Groveland teenager slain 22 years ago is urging lawmakers to pass a b …”>Family of slain Groveland teen urges mandatory time for juvenile killers Updated May 7, 2014 1 36 am 1 Photo
  • Tuesday, May 6, 2014
  • LAWRENCE Justin Ladd, the North Andover stepfather accused of torturing his two stepdau …”>Stepdad held without bail in ‘torture’ case Updated May 6, 2014 3 29 pm 1 Photo
  • LAWRENCE Prosecutors asked that a state trooper arrested for drunken driving after a cr …”>Judge rejects house arrest for trooper charged in crash Updated May 6, 2014 3 31 pm 1 Photo
  • House gears up for another casino vote Posted May 6, 2014 12 05 am
  • Andover Town Meeting engages in raucous debate Posted May 6, 2014 12 05 am 5 Photos
  • Motorists caught driving at more than 100 mph on New Hampshire highways may soon pay a heftier …”>N.H. may change law to target high speed drivers Updated May 6, 2014 1 01 am
  • Dunn wins 4 way selectman race Posted May 6, 2014 12 05 am 1 Photo
  • METHUEN A School Department employee is under investigation for violating the school Interne …”>Methuen investigating school employee for improper Internet use Updated May 6, 2014 12 59 am
  • Bonilla defense asking for corruption trial continuance Posted May 6, 2014 12 05 am 1 Photo
  • Timberlane may end in house driver’s education Posted May 6, 2014 12 05 am 3 Photos
  • Click here for more Latest News stories

    Cops: cheap cigarettes fencing operation – chicago tribune

    E-cigarettes: a doctor's view of the good, the bad and the ugly

    The Yassins are both charged with felony theft and control of stolen goods, and Shlain is charged with felony retail theft.

    Mahmoud Yassin was arrested at Discount Cigarettes, 2990 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago, while his son and Shlain were arrested at their homes by investigators including the Chicago Police Asset Forfeiture Unit. Each was ordered held in lieu of $10,000 bail following a hearing today before Cook County Criminal Court Judge Donald Panarese, according to court records.

    What police described as an elaborate fencing operation supplied Mahmoud Yassin s stores as well as others, buying cigarettes and items including cough syrup, tooth whitening strips, coffee and razor blades, from shoplifters, police said.

    Police began investigating about six months ago, and during “Operation Cheap Smokes,” found that Mahmoud Yassin used Discount Cigarettes, as well as two other shops, School Snack Grocery and Tobacco, 3936 W. School St., and Euro Communications, 5359 W. Belmont Ave., to sell the items for retail or to other businesses. The items also were resold on eBay, according to police.

    At Discount Cigarettes, investigators recorded undercover sales in which people posed as shoplifters and the Yassins negotiated prices, police said.

    When police served warrants Wednesday, at the Belmont shop they found a false wall hiding a storeroom filled with merchandize, including 360 packs of stolen cigarettes, police said. In all, they found 6,300 packs without the proper tax stamps at the one store, police said.

    At the Yassins Orland Park home, police found $100,000 in cash, believed to be the proceeds of the fencing operation, as well as a Mercedes Benz and four other vehicles, police said. The homes were used to organize and prepare items being sold online for shipment, police said.

    After the arrests Wednesday, Mahmoud Yassin was hospitalized at Our Lady of the Resurrection Medical Center, Mirabelli said.

    The three are scheduled to appear again in court on June 13.

    lford

    Twitter ltaford