STOP SHOP WITH SLOTS

Five employees of a Maspeth grocery store were taken into custody by police last Friday, Sept. 5 after a number of untaxed cigarettes and illegal gaming devices were found inside the shop during a routine inspection, it was reported.

Law enforcement sources identified the suspects as Habeeb Alzewkeri, 20, of Eighth Avenue in Brooklyn; Fayiz Zokari, 24, of Springfield Boulevard in Queens Village; Jack Celantano, 58, of 69th Place in Middle Village and two juvenile males, ages 16 and 14, respectively.

Reportedly, they were charged with allegedly selling untaxed cigarettes and operating slot machines at the Maspeth Supermarket and Deli located at 69-20 Grand Ave.

The store was one of five locations along Grand Avenue which were visited by members of the 104th Precinct and inspectors from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance last Friday morning.

According to police, the joint enforcement effort began at around 11 a.m. and was being conducted to ensure that all businesses displayed proper licenses and collected taxes for cigarettes and other merchandise.

Upon visiting the Maspeth Deli and Supermarket, law enforcement sources said, authorities found that the premises failed to comply with state-mandated cigarette tax codes, including having cigarette cartons without proper tax stamps.

Additionally, it was reported, police and inspectors also found two illegal video poker and slot machines concealed within the location.

Two of the suspects were also found to be in possession of khat, an illegally-imported stimulant, police said.

The suspects were variously charged with forgery, possession of counterfeit tax stamps, evading payment of cigarette taxes, possession of gambling devices, promoting gambling and criminal possession of a controlled substance.