United States Drug Enforcement Administration

RALEIGH, N.C. - The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announces the arrest of Akram Abdel-Aziz, 50, on drug related charges.

Abdel-Aziz is charged in a criminal complaint with the possession with intent to distribute a quantity of 5F-ADB, a synthetic cannabinoid listed as a Schedule I controlled substance. Known locally by the label “Black Magic” and other similar names, the substance was sold as a liquid vaporizer product at vape shops in Onslow, Craven, Wilson, Cumberland, New Hanover, and Pamlico counties. The product came to the attention of authorities following more than 40 persons requiring medical attention after ingesting the product, for symptoms such as seizures, loss of consciousness, hallucinations, paranoia, and cardiac arrest.

Abdel-Aziz is currently in custody.

The allegations above are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

The investigation of this case was conducted by the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Command, the U.S. Marine Corps Criminal Investigative Division, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Alcohol Law Enforcement Division, the Jacksonville Police Department, the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilson Police Department and other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

The DEA encourages parents, along with their children, to educate themselves about the dangers of legal and illegal drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.justthinktwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.dea.gov. Also follow DEA Atlanta via Twitter at @DEAATLANTADiv