ATF Arrests San Antonio Store Manager on Tobacco Violations

SAN ANTONIO, June 29 PRNewswire-USNewswire — Special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) today arrested Rahim Lakhani, a 32-year-old Pakistani legal resident alien, for charges relating to the illegal importation, sale and possession of untaxed cigarettes.

The agents also executed search warrants at Lakhani's place of employment, the Triple S Express Citgo at 3969 Thousand Oaks in San Antonio, and his residence at 9511 Perrin Beitel, also in San Antonio. Items seized as a result of the search warrants included more than 300 cartons of illegal cigarettes and approximately $17,000 in cash.

The three-month investigation involved numerous undercover purchases totaling more than 154 cartons of cigarettes from Lakhani by ATF special agents who posed as buyers. The cigarettes, which contained neither federal nor Texas state tax stamps, bore stamps from Moldavia, Russia, and the Philippines. The undercover purchases occurred at the convenience store that Lakhani managed.

Also participating in this investigation were the Texas Rangers, the Special Crimes Unit of the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Bexar County District Attorney's Office.

ATF is the federal law enforcement agency with jurisdiction for investigating criminal violations of the alcohol and tobacco laws. More information on ATF and its programs is http://www.atf.gov.

Contacts: Franceska Perot, Ph.D. Special Agent, PIO (281) 914-8114 (cell) Or locally: Mark Siebert, RAC (210) 805-2727 office

SOURCE Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives