Pubdate: Thu, 23 Feb 2012 Source: Denver Post (CO) Copyright: 2012 The Denver Post Corp Contact: http://www.denverpost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122 Author: Felisa Cardona. The Denver Post DENVER COPS BUST CONVENIENCE STORE NEAR EAST HIGH FOR SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA, STEROIDS Synthetic marijuana was sold from a Denver convenience market just 1,000 feet from East High School and police say students and the surrounding neighbors were customers. After a month-long investigation, the owner and manager of Sun Mart at 2405 E. Colfax Avenue and a clerk were arrested and face felony charges for selling the drugs. The investigation began after police received numerous complaints students were buying the synthetic marijuana, commonly referred to as "spice," from the Sun Mart. Spice is exponentially more potent than smoking a marijuana joint, said Lt. Aaron Sanchez. In July, it became illegal to sell Spice in Colorado. In January, it became illegal to possess the drug as well, Sanchez said. Asked if it's possible the accused employees didn't know the laws had recently changed, Sanchez said that was no excuse. "Ignorance is not an affirmative defense," he said. The case may be one of the first to be prosecuted under the new law in Denver County. "It'll be new for our D.A.'s and the court system as well," Sanchez said. "We feel like a legal loophole has been closed." On Wednesday night, police got a search warrant and found 12 pounds of spice packaged in 1,000 containers that each had a street value of $20. The spice had special names on the containers like "Black Mamba." Police also found $36,216.50 in cash they believe was from the sales of the drug. Sanchez said the officers were surprised to find 100 steroid tablets they initially thought were Ecstasy tablets. One of the suspects told police the tablets were for "working out," Sanchez said. Police said they don't know yet if the steroids were also being sold from the market. Vice and narcotics officers photographed drug paraphernalia including digital scales, rolling papers and glass pipes typically used to smoke drugs like marijuana, crack and methamphetamines. The store's owner and manager Maher Awad, 45, and clerk Abdelilah Dehry, 57, are facing felony charges. Spice became prevalent in the drug scene about two years ago. The Sun Mart case may not be the end of the investigation. "This is not the only store we are looking at," Sanchez said. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.