15 Indicted For Drug Trafficking

DETROIT - Fifteen Michigan residents have been indicted in an international drug trafficking conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Terrence Berg said Thursday.

Those charged are:

Hassan Mohammed Abboud, 37, formerly of Sterling Heights, currently residing in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Ahmad Abboud, 32, of Sterling Heights

Rima Abboud, 35, of Sterling Heights

Wahab Abboud, 30, of Sterling Heights

Yousef Abboud, 28, of Sterling Heights

Bilal Abboud, 33, of Sterling Heights

Johny Yaldo, 29, of Sterling Heights

Mircea Bobic, 36, formerly of Trenton, currently residing in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Vic Bodnariu, 49, of Madison Heights

Viorel Oprea, 51, of River Rouge

Petru Vascan, 34, of Sterling Heights

Martin Hermiz, 29, of Clinton Township

Amir Denkha, 37, of Hazel Park

Joseph Hefrey, 29, of Shelby Township

Eric Berg, 28, of Detroit

A federal indictment alleges that the 15 conspired to import more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana into the United States from Canada with the intent to distribute it in metro Detroit and beyond.

From about 2000 to the present, the indictment states the group smuggled marijuana from the Toronto area into Michigan through St. Joseph Island, Ontario.

Prosecutors said the group smuggled between 50 and 600 pounds per trip by car, train and boat -- the value of the marijuana of each trip ranged from $300,000 to well over $2 million.

Also alleged in the indictment, the conspirators attempted to conceal their drug profits by placing homes, cars and businesses in the names of friends or relatives.

Six of the 15 defendants are charged in the money-laundering conspiracy. Drug profits were sent overseas to Lebanon, for the construction of a substantial residence.

Federal officials said they have confiscated more than 1,000 pounds of the marijuana and more than $2.5 million in U.S. currency.

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