Encinitas Man Arrested for Selling Thousands of Cases of Stolen Baby Formula

Four San Diego County residents were among six Southern Californians arrested today on federal charges for their alleged involvement in schemes to purchase thousands of cases of stolen baby formula in order to resell the products at significantly higher prices, the FBI announced.

 In addition to the arrests, federal search warrants were served in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange and San Bernardino counties.

The government also seized more than $750,000 from bank accounts, as well as cases of baby formula with an estimated value of more than $500,000, said Laura Eimiller of the FBI.

Charged with transportation and possession, sale and receipt of stolen goods and other crimes in a 22-count federal indictment unsealed today in Los Angeles are:
   -- Saad Yohanan, 55, of San Diego:
   -- Yusuf Ghazi Abu Dawas, aka Joseph Dawas, 33, of Escondido;
   -- Anas Abudawwas, aka Adam Abudawwas, 28, of Escondido;
   -- Eyad Ibrahim Abu Dawas, aka Dave Dawas, 41, of Encinitas;
   -- Ashraf Sulaiman, 38, of Alhambra; and
   -- Khair Zaben, 48, of Fontana.

The indictment accuses the defendants of buying stolen infant formula from someone they believed to be a stolen goods supplier but was actually an undercover federal agent, Eimiller said.

The charges carry maximum sentences of up to 10 years in federal prison.

The defendants would also be subject to forfeiture of money or real estate derived from the proceeds of the alleged offenses upon conviction.

—City News Service