Warren store closed after drug investigation and raid

Staff report

WARREN

Atlantic Beverages, a store where a man was killed in December 2013, has been shut down by a court order after an investigation and raid that turned up evidence that store operators were selling Oxycodone there.

Warren police carried out a narcotics investigation earlier during which undercover officers bought Oxycodone from operators of the store while they were working, said Greg Hicks, Warren law director.

That investigation occurred after police received complaints that large crowds of people were congregating outside of the store, and drug sales were occurring there.

Warren police conducted a raid at the store, 408 Atlantic Street NE, Thursday and recovered Oxycodone on two of the store operators. Police raided the store after obtaining a search warrant issued by Judge Ronald Rice of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

After the raid, Hicks went back to Judge Rice, and the judge issued an order shutting the store down until a hearing at 1:30 p.m. May 26 to determine whether the store is a nuisance. Hicks will be asking that the store remain closed for one year, he said.

That process is similar to what the city did in 2012 to board up eight massage parlors after a yearlong investigation found evidence of prostitution. The parlors agreed to close for one year.

Khaled M. Nassar, 22, of Englesson Drive Northwest, was fatally shot in the parking lot of the store Dec. 9, 2013.

Hicks said two employees were taken into custody and were likely to be charged later Thursday.