The manager and another employee of a smoke shop in San Mateo were arrested for selling marijuana to undercover police officers, according to the San Mateo County Narcotics Task Force.
Police received multiple complaints from neighbors about suspected drug activity at Cigarette City, at 29 W. 37th Ave., before starting a three-month long investigation, according to Marc Alcantara, commander with the task force.
The task force, along with the San Mateo Police Department, executed search warrants after arranging several covert buys of marijuana from the two employees, according to Alcantara.
Arrested were Mahmoud Saeidah, 28, of Richmond, and Eid Ayesh, 28, of Hayward.
Saeidah was the manager of the store and faces charges of sales of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale, possession of a controlled substance for sale, maintaining a place where drugs are sold and criminal conspiracy. His bail was set at $100,000.
Ayesh faces charges of sales of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale and criminal conspiracy. His bail was set at $15,000.
Officers found approximately four ounces of processed marijuana and approximately 200 Vicodin and Xanax pills. A loaded .45 caliber handgun and $10,000 in suspected drug money were also seized after the search warrant was executed, according to Alcantara.
Cigarette City, also called the X-hale Smoke Shop, sells pipes and water pipes, Grateful Dead memorabilia, tie-dyed shirts and Raiders jerseys, among other items. It is located on a small commercial strip of mostly hair and nail salons just off El Camino Real.
Similar businesses that operate in San Mateo will be monitored for compliance with the law, according to Alcantara.