Deli Owner Who Took Pity On Thief Now Faces Fine For Selling Bongs
It's been a busy few weeks for Mohammad Sohail, a Pakistani immigrant who owns and operates a Deli in Long Island, NY. On May 21st a masked man tried to rob him, but Sohail pulled a rifle on the guy. Then he made him promise to never rob anyone again, and handed him $40 and a loaf of bread.
Although not every news report mentioned this detail, he even got the robber to convert to Islam, albeit perhaps temporarily:
"When he gets $40, he's very impressed, he says, 'I want to be a Muslim just like you,' " Sohail said, adding he had the would-be criminal recite an Islamic oath.
"I said 'Congratulations. You are now a Muslim and your name is Nawaz Sharif Zardari.'"
When asked why he chose the hybrid of two Pakistani presidents' names, the Pakistani immigrant laughed and said he had been watching a South Asian news channel moments before the confrontation.
Sohail said the man fled the store when he turned away to get the man some free milk.
On Tuesday, the story broke across the mainstream media, and Sohail has been enjoying some hero limelight for his bravery and compassion.
That same day, however, his shop was raided as part of a city-wide drug bust:
The same day Mohammad Sohail's big heart earned him nationwide fame, his store in Shirley, L.I., was one of seven businesses raided by town investigators.
Pipes and bongs were seized from Shirley Express on Tuesday night, and the 46-year-old was charged with breaking Brookhaven town codes, a civil violation.
He does not face criminal charges, but will likely have to pay a hefty fine.
The Associated Press reports that 3 times in recent weeks, undercover officers bought bongs and pipe screens at the deli, and that the violation is punishable by a fine of up to $30,000.
Well, we still think you're pretty cool, Sohail. Maybe all the pot smokers of Shirley, Long Island should pitch in and help you pay off that fine! Umm, yeah, probably not.
Below is store security footage of the thwarted robbery:
"Merciful storekeeper changes robber's mind, religion" [CNN]
"Mohammad Sohail, store owner who took pity on robber, busted for selling illegal drug paraphernalia" [Newsday]
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Comments:
Uh. Those are totally for tobacco. I swear. Yeah.
Turns out the robber wasn't really a thief at all, he was just confused by the FREE TOMMY CHONG t-shirts hanging in the window.
Sell 2 foot lengths of screen and your in the home repair business. Sell little discs of that same screen and you are enabling pot smokers...
*you're
I guess his fame went up in smoke...
If all the pot smokers in Shirley chipped in to pay off the fine, they'd only have to give about a dollar or two a piece. I used to live in the next town.. maybe I'll stop by with a dollar or two =P
They should go after those fake roses in glass tubes, kids don't buy those for the flower.
@thnkwhatyouthnk: I've always thought Long Island would be better off if they nuked Shirley and Mastic.
Glad to see there are no more murders, rapes or (ahem) armed robberies in the lovely town of Long Island, NY.
I think I would have shot if he didn't put the bat down. If he was armed as well then I would have shot, no matter what.
I'm just glad Consumerist reported it was a rifle. CNN reported that it was a shotgun. That's some good journalism-ing right there.
OMG BONGS!!!
Yes, pot smokers are the problem with this country!
Thank goodness police everywhere have their priorities right, busting people for pot and (OMG) speeding!!
That's what \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\@Trai_Dep:
I have news for you .... Long Island is not a town. It is simply an island.
Shirley happens to be a HAMLET, in the county of SUFFOLK, which is one of four counties on Long Island (Nassau & Suffolk make up the common "Long Island" but the island itself also includes Brooklyn (Kings County) and Queens (Queens County)
@WiiPoleNotIncluded_GitEmSteveDave:
Something is strange about his Karma. He does a good deed, and then something bad happens to him. Either he has done a lot of bad things, or some bad things will be done in the future if he doesn't change his path (Time is not linear, although our travels through time are linear)
Either way, I hope that he has nothing but good Karma going forward.
@doctor_cos: So at what point is a law "not important"?
I'm guessing from your post that you smoke and also got pulled over for speeding, but think that it's OK, b/c everyone else does it. So I guess if a hundred people went to your house and started taking stuff, it would be OK, and the cops shouldn't worry about it?
@WiiPoleNotIncluded_GitEmSteveDave:
It's not important when it shouldn't be on the books, but people are too busy to get rid of it.
We don't enforce laws such as in one town it being legal to beat your wife on a Sunday at the public courthouse now do we? (On the books in Sumter, SC)
Say it with me now..."For Tobacco Use Only..."
@Dooley: Sometimes stupid petty marijuana laws override karma. Get all the legalization groups to make a media circus of it and make this guy their new poster child/hero. Maybe enough bad publicity for the city will convince them to drop the fine.
@WiiPoleNotIncluded_GitEmSteveDave: I don't smoke anything and have not gotten a speeding ticket since the 80's. I think pot laws and speed trapping are a waste of resources. At least the local PD has figured the second one out and they only monitor people's speed in targeted areas where it is a problem.
@arstal: I'm pretty sure that one would be enforced... After all, SC enforces the "you can't buy a matress on Sunday law, and that one is a victimless crime. I'm glad I moved notth to VA, although I do miss Charleston.. :(
As for the "bongs" maybe they were Hookahs and the police are going after him because he is clinging to part of his culture. THAT's the way to spin it!
@WiiPoleNotIncluded_GitEmSteveDave: Pot smokers and 'speeders' are obviously the most dangerous criminals, then?
I just like to point out how most drugs are legal (alcohol, tobacco, valium, etc.) but the ones that would be hard to tax are not. Hmmmmm.
@bohemian: Police don't go around actively looking for people selling bongs. They either get a tip or they happen to see it in plain sight. Hardly a waste of resources.
@doctor_cos: That's irrelevant. It's still illegal. The law already takes into consideration violent and dangerous offenders vs other offenses. Don't blow it out of proportion just because you personally don't agree with it.
@WiiPoleNotIncluded_GitEmSteveDave: I don't smoke weed, but think it is asinine that it's illegal, too. Show me a scientific study that has found the risks of marijuana (aside from impaired judgment, which isn't even as bad as alcohol, there aren't any).
@doctor_cos: So at what point should the cops actually work? Should they just sit in the station house and not proactivly seek people breaking laws? As for being dangerous, if someone is speeding doing 45 in a 25 mph school zone, there is NO WAY, w/o violating the basic laws of physics, for them to stop sooner than they would actually doing the speed limit and avoid hitting a parent/crossing guard/child.
@CFinWV: I suppose you didn't read the article because you would have noticed that: "Prosecutors say undercover officers bought bongs and pipe screens at the store three times in recent weeks." So clearly the police *were* going around actively looking for people selling bongs.
@CFinWV: Yes it's irrelevant if you think our only argument is that we shouldn't enforce certain laws that are on the books. But you make the assumption that all laws on the books *should* be on the books. Perhaps some laws should be repealed. Like, say, laws that don't make any sense. (Since the drug war began: drugs have gotten more pure, become more prevalent, caused more gang-related crime, and have simply wasted billions of taxpayer money. Legalizing them would: decrease underground trade, nearly eliminate gang-related crime of drug-dealing gangs, free up police resources, generate tax revenue. Pretty much all the great things that came about at the end of prohibition.)
@jasonkarns: Well, to get a warrant, you have to show cause to a judge. Being able to say that we bought items repeatedly over a period of time does that.
Gee, in some cultures a "bong" is also known as a hookah, stupid small minded idiots.
@jasonkarns:
Which they probably started doing because of a tip. The point is, they don't go into every bodega and ask for a bong. But when they get the tip, they gather the evidence.
@CFinWV: i can't speak for this particular town, but it's perfectly legal to have a bong in most (as long as there's no pot residue in it) since they are used for tobacco consumption, particularly by middle eastern immigrants. it's no more illegal than a corn cob pipe
@doctor_cos: Speeding is much more dangerous than pot, so I'm ok with enforcing that rule. People also don't typically go to jail for speeding causing overcrowding
@jasonkarns:
I don't completely disagree with you.
I don't smoke pot, or do anything harder. I haven't done my research, but if the lasting effects of pot do not exceed that of alcohol, I would be on the side of legalizing it.
But are you abdicating all drugs be legalized? Meth, which rots your teeth? LSD, which causes flashbacks and often the belief that you can fly? Where do you draw the line?
If you don't legalize them all, you will still have the same problems you mentioned.
Where do you stand on prostitution? Many people make the exact same argument for legalizing it.
@CFinWV: @WiiPoleNotIncluded_GitEmSteveDave: I think the point is more a matter of priority. Since there is only a limited amount of law enforcement resources to go around, what do you think they should be focusing on. Personally I think if you are going to keep pot illegal. It should be at the same level as jaywalking. Sure it's illegal, but far from a law enforcement priority.
@doctor_cos:
Motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of accidental deaths in the US.
So yeah, stopping speeders is kinda important.
Besides, when was the last time you were pulled over for anything less than 10 MPH over?
@WiiPoleNotIncluded_GitEmSteveDave:
The problem is, they tend to focus on the "easy" money making crimes. They know people that do recreational pot and speeders are easy targets with huge fines. So obviously they would rather focus on that rather than staking out the crack house where they might get shot.
A store owner gets robbed: no cops around.
A store owner sells bongs: a SWAT team magically appears!
Gotta love the USA.
This is from the same city that hands out needles to facilitate shooting up (complete with tourniquet, alcohol prep pad, and instructions)and condoms to expedite sex.
This guy is just doing his part for the overlooked people.
If you had to draw a line, most people seem to think there is a clear line between naturally occurring (tobacco, marijuana, etc..) and chemically modified "man made" drugs (LSD, Meth, Coke, etc...).
Also, prostitution is legal and controlled in many countries. This offers many benefits to the woman as they can get medical benefits of being employed (monthly checkups, free condoms, clean places to work, etc....).
The argument has been made time after time, legalize and control is the way to go.
If I break into your store, and you pull a rifle on me, I will convert to any religion you like.
I wonder what explains this man kindness more. The smoking, his Religion, or a combo of the two?