6 Arrested In County-Wide Drug Bust: Nassau Police

NASSAU COUNTY, NY — A large operation by Nassau County police led to the arrest of six men who police say were selling drugs out of smoke shops across the county.

According to police, on Thursday afternoon, officers executed search warrants at five Evolve Smoke Shop locations in Nassau County. Police say it was found that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was being sold at the locations. During the search, police say they found large quantities of THC, as well as MDMA, heroin and cash.

Police arrested six men at the locations: Mohamed Elfeky, 31, of Huntington Station; Hardik Sureshbhai Patel, 24, of Mineola; Rashmin S. Patel, 27, of Hauppauge; Mauleshkumar R. Patel, 36, of Fresh Meadows; Manpreet Walia, 25, of Bethpage; and Mahendrakumar V. Patel, 36, of Flushing.

Evolve Smoke Shop has Nassau County locations in Hicksville, Mineola, Melville, Farmingdale and South Farmingdale. It also has multiple Suffolk County locations.

Elfeky has been charged with fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, third- and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and two counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

The other five were all charged with fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and two counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

All six are scheduled to be arraigned later today in First District Court in Hempstead.