A Brownsville man faces criminal charges after agents from the West Tennessee Violent Crime and Drug Task Force raided a Dupree Street smoke shop and a separate storage location, seizing more than 50 pounds of illegal kratom and high-potency marijuana products and recovering over $14,000 in cash, authorities said.
Undercover buy leads to search warrants
Investigators said the operation began after multiple complaints about Cali Smokes on Dupree Street allegedly storing and selling illegal products from a rear storeroom. An undercover agent entered the business and asked to purchase a product known to contain a high dose of kratom. The clerk, later identified as Yousef Al Baadani, 40, told the agent the product was illegal, then went to the back and returned with the packaged item. The agent purchased the product for $30, according to the task force.
That transaction led agents to secure and execute a search warrant at the smoke shop. Officials say they seized several illegal kratom and THC products and felony drug paraphernalia during the search. Probable cause gathered at the store prompted a second search warrant at a different location tied to the case.
Storage and distribution uncovered at second location
At the second site, agents recovered eight large boxes containing illegal kratom and THC products and more than $14,000 in cash. Investigators determined the second location was being used to store and package the illegal products before transporting them to the smoke shop, where the items were kept out of sight and sold from the back storeroom or, if requested, from Al Baadani’s vehicle, the task force said.
- Seized controlled items: More than 50 pounds of illegal kratom and high-potency THC products
- Cash recovered: More than $14,000
- Defendant: Yousef Al Baadani, 40
“All charges are allegations, and everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”
Photos from the scene showed newly elected Sheriff Terry Smith and Brownsville Police Chief Kelvin Evans observing a member of the Tennessee Dangerous Drugs Task Force conduct on-site testing of the seized products. The office of District Attorney General Frederick H. Agee will prosecute the case, officials said.
Task force operation and prosecutorial oversight
The West Tennessee Violent Crime and Drug Task Force operates by agreement among the 28th, 29th and 30th District Attorneys General, authorities said. The task force’s statement indicates the operation relied on citizen complaints, undercover investigations and coordinated search efforts to uncover what it described as an illicit retail distribution scheme for kratom and THC products.
Officials described the seized kratom and THC items as illegal under applicable statutes and said the products were being repackaged and moved between the storage site and the retail location. No additional names of suspects or counts were released in the initial statement beyond the identification of the clerk and the items seized.
The investigation is ongoing. The task force has not released a timetable for charges or court dates beyond the notice that the District Attorney General’s office will handle prosecution. Authorities emphasized that the matter remains an allegation until proven in court.
| Item | Reported amount |
|---|---|
| Illegal kratom and THC products | More than 50 pounds |
| Cash | More than $14,000 |
| Defendant | Yousef Al Baadani, 40 |
Residents with information related to the case were encouraged by investigators to contact the task force or local law-enforcement agencies. As prosecutors prepare any formal charges, court filings and hearings will provide additional details about the evidence gathered during the undercover buy and subsequent searches.
