4 Charged In Woburn Marijuana, Tobacco Trafficking Operation: AG

WOBURN, MA — Four men are facing charges in connection with an alleged illegal marijuana, tobacco and flavored vape operation based in Woburn, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced on Friday.

The operation was transporting products out of Woburn and into stores across Massachusetts, New York and New Hampshire, according to Healey.

Some THC-infused products transported through this scheme contained traces of fentanyl, Healey said. Black-market tobacco products, meanwhile, were largely counterfeit and flavored, Healey added, representing a violation of Massachusetts’ ban on such flavored tobacco and vape products.

“Unregulated counterfeit tobacco and marijuana products could pose a danger to those who use them,” the attorney general said.

Samuel Habib, 43, of Stratham, New Hampshire; Fadi Laioun, 37 of Las Vegas, Nevada; Charles Fisher, 43, of Kingston, New Hampshire and Jason Stock, 44, of Binghamton, New York are facing charges related to this scheme, Healey said.

Charges are as follows:

• Samuel Habib: Trafficking in Marijuana, Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute, Possession of THC with Intent to Distribute (4 counts), Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute (2 counts), Distribution of THC and Distribution of Marijuana.
• Fadi Laioun: Trafficking in Marijuana
• Charles Fisher: Trafficking in Marijuana, Carrying a Firearm, Carrying a Loaded Firearm, Possession of a Firearm During a Felony, and Possession of Ammunition without an FID card.
• Jason Stock: Trafficking in Marijuana and Possession of THC with Intent to Distribute.

The men were indicted back in May by a grand jury, according to the Attorney General.

Habib was previously arrested June of last year following a multi-agency investigation, Healey said.

She said law enforcement personnel seized roughly 750 pounds of marijuana, 250 cases of illegal vapes and 200 cases of THC-infused products during searches in that investigation.

Law enforcement also found $540,000 in cash, four cargo vans and one luxury SUV, Healey said.

Habib was arraigned last year on charges of trafficking in marijuana and tax evasion related to distribution of untaxed tobacco and ENDS products, according to the Attorney General's office. He was then arraigned on his additional charges this week.

The investigation into this current case is ongoing with help from over a dozen federal, state and local agencies.