Rock Falls Police raid store and seize synthetic drugs

At about 9 a.m. on Tuesday Rock Falls police officers entered the Checkers Service Station on the city's south side, they came out with more than 100 containers of synthetic drugs.

"I'm completely in the dark," said Checkers Service Station owner Emil Benzakry.

Benzakry has owned the Checkers Service Station for more than 6 years, but spends most of his time in California, which is why he can't believe police think he's selling drugs.

"I'm shocked," said Benzakry.

Rock Falls police say they got a tip that the former gas station was selling synthetic drugs and decided to act.

"We started doing an investigation," said Rock Falls Police chief Michael Kuelper.  "Did some surveillance, we were able to do a couple controlled buys in July."

The synthetic drug they bought, known as Code Black, was tested by the State Crime Lab and came back as a Schedule 1 narcotic.  "It's stronger than cannabis, marijuana," said Kuelper.  But Benzakry says he's innocent.

"I haven't done anything wrong," said Benzakry.  "I haven't been here for a year so I haven't done anything wrong."

Benzakry claims the Code Black, which is marketed as a potpourri not for smoking, came from a supplier in California.  He says he had just received an email saying it was about to become illegal.  He also says that his workers, who do the ordering, pulled it from the shelves.

"I have a lady that works for me, she runs the store," said Benzakry.  "She does the ordering."

Under a new law that went into effect on July 31^st, Illinois now considers the possession and sale of synthetic drug products a felony, Chief Kuelper says they made an under cover buy at Checkers Service Station this month.

"With this information and what we have here, and our controlled buy, we have enough now to go on to present the drug paraphernalia for drug use," said Kuelper.

Benzakry says he still feels like a target.  "I don't know whether they're going to make an example out of me," he said.  And he doesn't know how he's going to convince a judge he wasn't committing a crime.

"I don't know why they picked on me, I just have no idea," said Benzakry.

Police confiscated 400 smoking devices, more than 100 plus containers of synthetic drugs and more than 300 CO-2 canisters that are also commonly used to get a high.

Benzakry is not behind bars and has not been charged with anything.  Police are waiting for the State Crime Lab to process Friday morning's raid, which could take three to four weeks.