Four charged with retail distribution of synthetic drugs in Eastern Iowa

CEDAR RAPIDS - Three men are charged in federal court with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, accused of selling synthetic drugs out of stores in Iowa, including one in Cedar Rapids.

Those charged are Muhammad Anwar, a Des Moines area businessman who authorities say operated a synthetic drug distribution hub out of his I Wireless store there; Muhammad Anwar Chaudhry, who owns businesses in Waterloo and Cedar Rapids where synthetic drugs were sold; and Ahmad Saeed, an associate of Anwar's.

According to a 32-page criminal complaint filed last week by Cedar Rapids Police Officer Bryan Furman - who is assigned to a Drug Enforcement Administration task force - Chaudhry owned the I Wireless store at 1551 First Ave. SE in Cedar Rapids, which was managed by his mother-in-law. An I Wireless representative said Chaudhry was an independent I Wireless dealer, and that his affiliation with the company ended with his arrest in 2013.

Chaudhry also owned Five Star Snacks and I Wireless in Waterloo, which was managed by his brother-in-law. Waterloo police entered the store there in 2012 after learning synthetics drugs were being sold. Between October 2012 and June 2013, the Tri-County Drug Task Force conducted made controlled buys of synthetic drugs at the Waterloo store.

During one, investigators say they saw Anwar at the store, according to the criminal complaint.

On June 26, 2013, task force investigators and officers with the DEA and Division of Narcotics Enforcement served warrants at Chaudhry's businesses in Waterloo and Cedar Rapids and his home in Evansdale. Police said they seized nearly 2 kilograms of synthetic marijuana and nearly 50 grams of other synthetic drugs in Black Hawk County.

In Cedar Rapids, police seized numerous brands of synthetic drugs from the I Wireless Store.

The complaint states Chaudhry stopped selling synthetic drugs after the June 2013 raid, but resumed selling them from his Waterloo store by November that year.

According to the complaint, Chaudhry's mother-in-law - who managed the Cedar Rapids store - told investigators she received shipments of synthetic drugs from 'Mike,” which was a nickname for Anwar and Saeed.

The complaint details numerous allegations against Anwar. One witness accompanied Anwar on several trips to Kansas City to meet with 'Shaq” and his bodyguard, 'Ed” about synthetic drugs, it shows. Another witness signed for 20 to 25 boxes of synthetic drugs delivered by FedEx to a Des Moines business that were distributed to six Des Moines locations, the complaint shows. That witness also accompanied Anwar to Kansas City and told police Anwar usually brought $20,000 to $60,000 to purchase synthetic drugs.

Search warrants conducted at Anwar's I Wireless store in March 2014 turned up more than 500 packages of synthetic drugs, according to the complaint.